Kropentr  <>f  Japan. 


■6 
LEADING  MEN  OF 

JAPAN 


WITH  AN  HISTORICAL  SUMMARY  OF  THE 
EMPIRE 


BY 

CHARLES    LANMAN 
Author  of  "  The  Japanese  in  America,"  Etc^  Exa 


BOSTON 
D.  LOTHROP  AND  COMPANY 

32    FRANKLIN    STREFT 


Jl- 


Copyright,  1883. 
D.  LoTHROP  &  Company. 


.•,...  . 


PREFACE. 

THIS  volume  is  the  direct  outgrowth  of  my  work 
entitled  The  Japanese  in  America^  which  was  pub- 
lished ten  years  ago,  and  widely  circulated  in  the  United 
States  and  England.  It  is  divided  into  two  parts,  the 
first  of  which  contains  brief  biographical  sketches  of  the 
leading  men  who  in  recent  times  have  been  honorably 
identified  with  the  marvellous  career  of  the  Island  Empire 
of  the  Pacific.  A  goodly  number  of  names  have  necessa- 
rily been  omitted,  for  the  reason  that  I  could  not  obtain 
the  needed  data  to  do  them  justice ;  and,  I  regret,  for  the 
same  reason,  that  several  of  the  notices  in  the  volume  are 
far  more  brief  than  they  deserve  to  be.  I  may  say,  how- 
ever, that  so  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  go,  my  statements 
will  be  found  entirely  authentic — the  great  bulk  of 
my  information,  including  the  translations,  having  been 
obtained  from  Japanese  scholars  and  various  well 
informed  friends  residing  in  Japan.  With  the  exception  of 
the  first  two  sketches — of  the  Emperor  and  his  father — 
I  have  arranged  them  in  alphabetical  order,  intending 
thereby  to  avoid  even  the  appearance  of  favoritism.  This 
is  the  first  time  that  sketches  of  so  many  men  from  the 
Onent  have  been  brought  together  in  a  single  volume  for 

252611 


PREFACE. 


the  edification  of  the  Western  world,  and  I  cannot  but 
hope  that  these  records  will  do  something  towards  making 
the  people  of  America  and  Europe  better  acquainted  than 
ever  before  with  the  gifted,  elevated,  and  progressive 
character  of  the  Japanese  people  and  Government. 

In  the  second  part  of  this  work  I  have  introduced  a 
bird's-eye  view  of  the  History  of  Japan,  which  I  contributed 
to  Johnson's  Universal  Cyclopaedia,  together  with  several 
chapters  bearing  on  the  outlying  possessions  of  the 
Empire,  or  directly  connected  with  its  history. 

C.  L. 

Washington,  Jan.,  1SS2* 


CONTENTS. 


PART  I. 

The  Emperor  of  Japan 7 

KoMEi  Tenno '       .        •  19 

Arisugawa  Taruhito 24 

Enomoto  Takeaki 27 

Enouye  Yoshikadsu 31 

Fujita  Hio 33 

FuKUCHi  Genichiro 37 

Fukuzawa  Youkichi 43 

Genpaku  Sujita 64 

Goto-Sho-Jiro 66 

Heihachiro 67 

HiGASHI    FUSHIMI 78 

Hiroyuki   Kato 81 

IjiCHi  Masaharu       . 83 

Inouye  Kaoru 85 

Ito   Hirobumi lOI 

Itagaki  Taisuke 103 

iwakura  tomomi i04 

Kabayama  Sukenori 108 

Kawaji  Toshiyoshi no 

KaTSU    AWA 112 

Kawamoora  Smiyashi 114 

KiDo  Takayossi 115 

KONO    BeNKAI 121 

KuRIMOTO-Jo-WuN 122 

Kuroda  Kiyotaka 127 

Neeshima  Jo 130 

Miura  Goro 132 

MoKi  Arinoki 135 

MosHiTsu  Otsuki 138 


CONTENTS. 


MUMETA    GeNJIRO I40 

Naganori  Asano 145 

Narushima  Kiuhoku 146 

Oki  Takato .        .161 

^  Okubo  Toshimichi 163 

Okuma  Shigenobu 177 

Otori  Keisukje 181 

Oyama  Iwa-o 183 

Oyano  Iwao 185 

Rai  Mikisaburo 187 

Saigo  Takamori 190 

Sameshima  Naonobu 206 

Saigo  Tsugumichi 208 

Sanjo  Sanetomi        .        .        .        .        .        .        .210 

Sano  Tsunetami        .        .        .        .  '     .        .        .213 

Sato  Shunkai 215 

ShibuiLawa   Eichi 216 

v/Shimadzu   Hisamitsu 221 

SOYESHIMA    TaNEOMI 223 

Tanaka  Fujimaro 225 

Tani   Kanjo       . 227 

Terashima   Munenori 230 

TOVAMA    MaSAKAZU 232 

TsuDA   Sen 234 

Yamada   Akiyoshi 240 

Yanagiwara   Sakimitsu 245 

YOSHIDA     KlYONARI 246 

yoshida  torajiro    .     '  .        .        .        .        ,        .  251 
Biographical  Addenda  256 

PART     IL 

The  Empire  of  Japan 261 

The  Isi^nds  of  Okinawa 302 

The  Ogasawara  Islands 317 

COREA .326 

Okigin  of  the  American   Expedition  to  Japan  391 

^  Additional  Notf^ .^^ 

Foreign  Bibliography  of  the  Empire         .        .411 


LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 


THE  EMPEROR  OF  JAPAN. 

THE  Emperor  of  Japan  was  born  in  the  Christian 
year  1852,  or,  according  to  the  Japanese  calen- 
dar, in  2512  ;  a  date  showing  that  the  Imperial  dynasty 
had  its  origin  in  the  seventh  century  before  the 
Christian  era.  His  name  is  Muts-hito,  the  son  and 
rightful  heir  of  Osa-hito  (or  Komei  Tenno,  the  name 
given  after  death),  who  died  in  1867,  after  a  reign  of 
twenty  years.  Soon  after  that  event  the  abdication 
of  the  Tycoon,  known  formerly  by  the  name  of 
Hitoty-bash,  took  place  at  Osaka ;  and  as  that  was 
the  pivot  upon  which  the  Japanese  revolution  was 
balanced,  it  is  proper  that  we  consider  here  the  cir- 
cumstances of  this  abdication. 

The  question  of  opening  a  port  in  the  **  inland 
seas"  to  foreign  trade  had  been  pending  at  that  time 
for  more  than  three  years.  In  1865,  or  perhaps  1866, 
the  Government  of  the  Tycoon  was  forced  by  the 
strenuous  urging  of  the  foreign  representatives  in 
Japan  to  consent  that  the  port  of  Kobe  should  be 
opened  on  and  after  January  i,  1868.  Immediately 
after  this  fact  had  been  proclaimed  a  strong  opposi- 
tion was  manifested  by  the  leading  Daimios,  because 
it  neither  had  been  properly  discussed  by  the  authori- 

7 


LEADING    MEN    OI     JAPAN. 


ties,  nor  received  the  sanction  of  the  Emperor.  This 
opposition  arose  not  so  much  from  any  objection  to 
the  opening  of  a  new  port,  as  from  the  consideration 
that  the  Tycoon's  government  had  virtually  been 
forced  by  the  foreign  powers  to  yield  to  them  a  right 
which  required  the  royal  sanction,  and  because  it  was 
a  question  in  which  Jthe  whole  people  were  greatly 
concerned.  By  the  more  thoughtful  statesmen  of 
Japan,  this  premature  concession  was  considered  an 
act  of  cowardice ;  therefore  hurtful  to  the  national 
honor.  Memorials  were  written  and  circulated 
throughout  the  Empire  against  the  measure  as  well  as 
against  the  previous  blunders  of  the  Tycoon's  govern- 
ment, in  regard  to  foreign  intercourse.  Other  dem- 
onstrations were  also  of  frequent  occurrence,  and  thus 
the  fire  was  kindled  which  was  to  consume  the  foun- 
dations of  the  Tycoonate. 

In  the  latter  part  of  1867  the  Tycoon  and  the  lead- 
ing Daimios  were  summoned  to  the  seat  of  the  Impe- 
rial government,  for  the  purpose  of  discussing  the 
question  of  opening  the  port  of  Kobe,  and  they  ac- 
cordingly assembled  in  Kioto.  The  diplomatic  agents 
of  all  the  treaty  powers,  with  their  respective  fleets* 
assembled  in  the  Bay  of  Osaka,  to  watch  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  assembly.  As  the  Tycoon  had  formerly 
made  a  hasty  concession,  he  now  advocated  the  im- 
mediate opening  of  the  port  of  Kobe ;  but  the  other 
Daimios  (for  he  was  in  reality  one  of  them)  still 
opposed  the  measure.  Seeing  clearly  that  the  politi- 
cal tide  was  turned  against  the  Tycoonate,  Hitoty- 
bash  found  it  necessary  to  resign  his  hereditary 
office;  his  abdication,  which  was  soon  presented  to 
the  Mikado,  was  at  once  accepted  ;  and  then,  without 
further  delay,  the  question  of  opening  the  port  of 
Kobe  was  agreed  to  by  the  assembled  Daimios  and 


THE    EMPEROR    OF   JAPAN. 


sanctioned  by  the  Mikado.  Thus  an  end  was  put  to 
this  question  as  well  as  to  the  hereditary  Tycoonate. 
The  reader  may  think  it  strange  and  illogical  that  the 
very  question  which  caused  the  overthrow  of  the 
Tycoonate,  a  political  institution  which  had  lasted 
three  hundred  years,  should  have  been  settled  thus 
without  difficulty.  Nevertheless,  such  was  the  fact. 
But  the  end  of  the  old  institution  would  have  soon 
come,  irrespective  of  this  question  ;  for  even  those 
who  belonged  by  hereditary  right  to  the  Tycoon's 
government,  and  faithfully  supported  it,  and  who  had 
sufficient  foresight,  had  long  before  advocated  the 
abdication,  because  they  had  discovered  that  the  old 
system  was  decaying  from  the  effects  of  corruption, 
and  that  the  demoralization  was  too  general  to  allow 
of  the  continued  existence  of  the  long-established 
hereditary  system.  Thus,  at  the  age  of  fifteen  years, 
the  Mikado,  or  Emperor  of  Japan,  began  his  rightful 
reign. 

At  that  time  the  residence  of  the  Mikado  was  at 
Kioto,  thirty  miles  from  Osaka,  while  that  of  the 
Tycoon  had  been  at  Yedo.  In  1868,  those  of  the 
Daimios  who  were  dissatisfied  with  the  course  pursued 
by  the  Tycoon  began  to  manifest  their  hostility,  and 
soon  made  known  that  they  would  not  obey  the  orders 
of  the  Emperor.  It  then  became  necessary  to  put 
down  this  rebellious  spirit  by  force  of  arms.  Anarchy 
prevailed  in  various  parts  of  the  country,  but  es- 
pecially in  Yedo,  where  demonstrations  were  made 
against  the  Tycoon's  household  ;  a  naval  engagement 
took  place  in  the  Bay  of  Yedo  ;  a  serious  fire  occurred 
in  Kanagawa ;  and  then  in  the  district  between 
Osaka  and  the  Mikado's  capital,  several  battles  were 
fought  which  resulted  in  the  total  defeat  of  the  rebels 
and   their  disastrous  flight.     Their  forces  amounted 


10  LEADING   MEN   OF  JAPAN. 

to  about  thirty  thousand  apparently  well-disciplined 
troops,  while  the  Imperial  army  was  very  much 
smaller;  but  the  tide  had  turned,  and  the  Imperial 
government  was  triumphant ;  and,  while  the  Tycoon 
fled  for  safety  to  his  palace  in  Yedo,  the  Mikado,  with 
his  Regency  or  the  Great  Daimios,  who  were  his  chief 
advisers,  was  living  in  comparative  peace  in  Kioto. 

Since  the  year  1868  many  remarkable  events  have 
occurred  in  Japan,  and  the  reign  of  the  young  mon- 
arch promises  to  be  unprecedented  in  its  influence  on 
the  welfare  of  the  Empire.  During  the  troubles 
which  followed  the  abdication  of  the  Tycoon,  the 
Mikado  resided  temporarily  at  Osaka,  and  it  was  in 
that  city  that  his  coronation  took  place  on  his  reach- 
ing the  requisite  age  of  sixteen  years.  Almost  the 
first  step  which  he  took  after  that  event  was  to  grant 
an  audience  to  the  representatives  of  the  foreign 
powers,  a  concession  that  never  had  been  made 
before  by  the  Imperial  dynasty.  It  filled  the  Japan- 
ese people  with  astonishment,  and  made  them  almost 
doubt  the  reality  of  the  Imperial  personage ;  nor  was 
it  much  less  astonishing  to  the  Europeans  to  realize 
their  situation  in  being  permitted  to  see  what  millions 
of  Japanese  had  never  dreamed  of  seeing  —  the  person 
of  the  Imperial  ruler  of  the  nation.  It  was  not  long, 
however,  before  all  doubts  were  removed  by  the 
enactment  of  oflficial  measures  calculated  to  impress 
the  most  skeptical  conservatives  that  a  new  era  of 
progress  and  Civilization  had  dawned.  A  second  step 
of  the  Emperor  was  to  establish  upon  a  firm  temporal 
foundation  the  Imperial  government,  which  had  for  so 
long  a  period  been  considered  merely  spiritual  in  its 
character.  This  was  a  consummation  for  which  the 
patriots  throughout  the  Empire  had  been  pining  for 
r,  :  of  years. 


THE    EMPEROR    OF   JAPAN.  II 

Before  the  close  of  the  year  1868  the  Mikado  re- 
solved to  remove  his  residence  to  Yedo,  and  this 
event  was  commemorated  by  a  royal  decree,  a  part  of 
which  we  may  translate  as  follows :  "  Being  now 
established  in  my  reign,  and  in  the  government  over 
all  my  people  of  Japan,  I  have  taken  into  considera- 
tion that  Yedo  is  well  adapted  for  the  seat  of  gov- 
ernment, inasmuch  as  it  is  the  most  central,  the 
greatest  and  the  most  populous  city  in  the  Empire.  I 
therefore  decree  that  Yedo  shall  be  the  seat  of  my 
government,  and  this  city  shall  henceforth  be  called 
Tokio,  or  the  Eastern  Capital.  This  I  do  because  I 
consider  my  whole  Empire  as  but  one  body,  and 
therefore  I  am  anxious  to  show  no  partiality  to  either 
of  the  eastern  or  western  provinces.  Let  all  my 
subjects  be  informed  that  this  is  my  decree." 

The  disappointed  followers  of  the  Tycoon,  having 
been  unsuccessful  in  their  movement  against  the 
forces  of  the  Mikado  near  Osaka  towards  the  close  of 
1868,  retreated  to  the  island  of  Yesso,  intending  to 
make  a  final  effort  there  to  retain  power.  As  related 
in  our  sketch  of  General  Saigo,  they  were  the  posses- 
sors of  a  naval  fleet,  commanded  by  Admiral  Eno- 
moto,  who  had  under  him  a  number  of  French 
officers.  They  made  an  attack  on  Hakodate,  cap- 
tured the  place,  and  remained  undisturbed  there 
during  the  winter.  In  the  meantime,  while  the 
Mikado  and  his  great  Councillors  of  State  were  not 
unmindful  of  these  operations,  certain  important 
negotiations  or  transactions  were  taking  place  in 
Yedo.  The  representatives  of  all  the  foreign  powers 
whose  fleets  were  then  at  anchor  off  the  port  of  Yoko- 
hama, having  signified  to  the  youthful  Mikado  that 
they  were  anxious  to  present  their  credentials  to  him, 
a  favorable  answer  was  returned,  and  the  reception 


12  LEADING    MKN    OF  JAPAN. 

took  place  on  the  fifth  of  January,  1869.  It  was  a 
grand  affair,  and  was  glowingly  described  by  the  local 
press.  Soon  after  that  event,  the  Mikado  made  a 
visit  to  Kioto,  married  a  wife,  and  returned  to  Tokio, 
where  he  had  determined  to  remain  permanently,  and 
where  also  the  great  Daimios  of  the  realm  had  con- 
gregated in  obedience  to  the  Imperial  order. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  summer  reinforcements  by 
sea  and  land  were  despatched  by  the  Imperial  govern- 
ment to  Hakodate,  for  the  purpose  of  entirely  quelling 
the  rebels,  who  there  made  a  final  effort  at  resistance. 
The  insurgents  under  Enomoto  were  not  only  in  a 
wretched  plight  in  regard  to  food  and  clothing,  but 
they  were  disheartened,  so  that  the  hostilities  were  of 
short  duration,  and  the  Imperial  forces  soon  beheld 
their  flag  waving  over  the  subdued  port  and  fortifica- 
tions of  Hakodate.  After  the  surrender,  the  leading 
rebels  were  imprisoned,  but  the  rank  and  file  were 
treated  with  great  kindness.  Not  only  were  they  all 
subsequently  pardoned,  but  many  of  them  have  since 
been  appointed  to  offices  of  trust  and  honor.  Eno- 
moto, their  leader,  was  appointed  Envoy  Extraordi- 
nary to  Russia.  Indeed,  the  disposition  of  the 
Emperor  to  treat  his  erring  subjects  with  the  kindest 
consideration  was  something  unprecedented  in  Japan. 
He  even  invited  Hitoty-bash,  the  ex-Tycoon,  to  take 
part  in  the  government ;  but  the  offer  was  not 
accepted. 

Animated  by  noble  instincts,  the  Emperor  of  Japan 
has  ever  since  made  no  discrimination  in  appointing 
the  responsible  officers  of  his  government,  whether 
they  were  formerly  supporters  of  the  Tycoon  or  not ; 
but  he  has  always  been  anxious  to  find  men  of  abil- 
ity and  lofty  principle  to  assist  him  in  public  affairs, 
and   he  has  usually  been  successful   in   his  efforts. 


THE   EMPEROR   OF  JAPAN.  1 3 

He  has  set  aside  the  prejudicial  distinctions  which 
formerly  existed  in  regard  to  appointing  certain  offi- 
cers from  certain  classes ;  and  though  there  still 
exists  a  marked  line  of  distinction  between  the  mem- 
bers of  the  royal  family  and  the  rest  of  the  inhabi- 
tants—  the  nobility,  the  middle  class,  and  the  common 
people  —  yet  what  may  be  called  aristocratic  vanity 
is  no  longer  tolerated,  either  by  the  Emperor  or 
his  subjects.  A  farmer  or  a  mechanic  may  now 
become  the  head  of  any  bureau  or  department,  ac- 
cording to  the  personal  worth  of  the  man.  Such 
things  were  altogether  unknown  in  Japan  in  former 
times.  Members  of  the  middle  class,  or  samurai 
— not  to  mention  the  nobility  —  were  not  permitted 
to  marry  legitimately  the  daughters  of  farmers  and 
mechanics.  But  all  such  restrictions  have  been  abol- 
ished by  law,  and  now  a  farmer  may  marry  the  daugh- 
ter of  a  nobleman  or  a  samurai,  and  the  daughter 
of  a  mechanic  may  become  the  lawful  wife  of  a  noble- 
man. 

Among  the  events  which  thus  far  have  distin- 
guished the  reign  of  the  Mikado,  perhaps  none  is 
so  important  as  that  which  was  brought  about  by 
the  foremost  Daimios,  Satsuma,  Chosiu,  Hizen  and 
Tosa,  in  voluntarily  yielding  up  their  feudal  rights  into 
the  hands  of  the  Emperor.  This,  which  occurred  on  the 
fifth  of  March,  1869,  was  followed  by  similar  conces- 
sions by  nearly  all  the  other  Daimios  of  the  Empire, 
and  the  abolition  of  feudalism  was  fully  consummated 
before  the  close  of  that  year.  In  rendering  this 
truly  wonderful  sacrifice,  these  noblemen  solemnly 
declared  that  their  single  object  was  to  raise  the 
national  standing  by  perpetuating  the  centralization 
of  power  in  the  Imperial  government,  and  thereby 
enabling  the  Empire  to  take  its  place  side  by  side 


14  LEADING   MEN    OF  JAPAN. 


with  the  other  civilized  nations  of  the  world.  These 
sentiments  were  welcomed  with  enthusiasm,  and  the 
great  deed  of  the  fifth  of  March  was  imitated  by 
the  other  Daimios  so  rapidly,  that  in  a  very  few 
months  the  Empire  was  nominally  unified. 

How  wonderfully  have  the  desires  of  the  Jap- 
anese patriots  been  hastened  to  a  complete  ful- 
filment !  In  proof  of  the  earnestness  which  has 
ever  animated  the  Mikado  himself,  we  have  but  to 
glance  at  some  of  the  results  of  his  enlightened 
policy.  He  has  sent  ambassadors  abroad  for  the  pur- 
pose of  informing  themselves  in  regard  to  affairs  of 
state ;  regular  legations  have  been  established  in  Ger- 
many, England,  France,  Italy,  Russia,  Austria,  China, 
and  the  United  States,  and  consulates  in  many  of  the 
ports  of  the  world  ;  railways  have  been  built  and  steam- 
ship lines  established  ;  lighthouses  have  been  built 
all  along  the  coasts  of  the  Empire ;  telegraphic  lines 
have  been  constructed  on  land  and  sea ;  a  regular 
army  and  a  navy  have  been  organized  on  the 
models  of  the  western  nations  ;  institutions  of  learn- 
ing and  for  benevolent  purposes  have  been  founded 
and  liberally  endowed;  and  able  young  men  have 
been  sent  to  foreign  countries  by  hundreds,  to  be 
educated,  to  assist  in  the  progress  of  the  Empire 
towards  a  perfect  civilization.  Old  laws  have  been 
revised,  new  laws  have  been  instituted,  and  ancient 
usages  that  were  barbarous  have  been  abolished. 
Indeed,  the  laws  of  the  Empire  are  to-day  far  more 
lenient  than  is  generally  supposed  ;  the  principles 
of  the  administration  of  justice  are  almost  as  perfect 
as  those  of  the  United  States,  and  the  habit  of  exe- 
cuting them  is  universal.  The  wicked  are  inevitably 
punished  according  to  law,  and  the  just  and  good 
are  rewarded  by  the  state  in  many  ways.     Even  the 


THE    EMPEROR    OF   JAPAN.  1 5 

old  restrictions  in  regard  to  religious  observances, 
which  were  very  zealously  enforced  by  the  Tycoon's 
government,  have  been  greatly  modified,  and  while 
we  do  not  know  that  any  proclamation  for  universal 
freedom  in  matters  of  conscience  has  been  issued,  it 
is  clear  that  the  spirit  of  the  time  decidedly  tends  in 
that  direction.  The  question  is  a  question  of  time 
only.  In  all  these  movements  it  seems  plain  that  the 
young  Mikado  is  the  head  and  front,  as  he  is  the 
supreme  ruler  of  the  Empire. 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  events  which  has  sig- 
nalized the  reign  of  the  Mikado,  is  the  Imperial  proc- 
lamation or  decree  which  was  promulgated  by  him  on 
the  fourteenth  of  April,  1875.  It  had  for  its  object 
the  creation  of  a  deliberative  body,  whose  resolutions, 
founded  upon  such  knowledge  of  the  wishes  of  the  peo- 
ple as  may  be  obtained  without  direct  representation, 
will  be  submitted  to  the  Council  of  State,  and,  if  ap- 
proved, will  then  be  referred  to  another  organized  body 
to  be  moulded  into  the  forms  of  law.  Of  this  docu- 
ment we  have  two  translations  before  us,  and  upon  the 
whole  we  think  the  following  one  will  give  the  best 
idea  of  the  original : 

"  On  ascending  the  Imperial  throne  we  assembled 
the  nobles  and  high  officers  of  our  realm,  and  took 
oath  before  the  gods  (or  heaven)  to  maintain  the  five 
principles,  to  govern  in  harmony  with  public  opinion, 
and  to  protect  the  rights  of  our  people. 

"  Assisted  by  the  sacred  memory  of  the  glorious 
line  of  our  ancestors,  and  by  the  union  of  our  subjects, 
we  have  attained  a  slight  measure  of  peace  and  tran- 
quility. So  short  a  time,  however,  has  elapsed  since 
the  late  restoration,  that  many  essential  reforms 
still  remain  to  be  effected  in  the  administration  of  the 
affairs  of  the  Empire. 


l6  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

"  It  is  our  desire  not  to  restrict  ourselves  to  the 
maintenance  of  the  five  principles  which  we  swore  to 
preserve,  but  to  go  still  further,  amd  enlarge  the  circle 
of  domestic  reforms. 

"  With  this  view  we  now  establish  the  Genroin  to 
enact  laws  for  the  Empire,  and  the  Daishin-in  to  con- 
solidate the  judicial  authority  of  the  courts.  By  also 
assembling  representatives  from  various  provinces  of 
the  Empire,  the  public  mind  will  best  be  known  and 
the  public  interests  be  best  consulted,  and  in  this 
manner  the  wisest  system  of  administration  will  be 
determined.  We  hope  by  these  means  to  secure  the 
happiness  of  our  subjects  and  ourself.  And,  while 
they  must  necessarily  abandon  many  of  their  former 
customs,  yet  must  they  not  on  the  other  hand  yield 
too  impulsively  to  a  rash  desire  for  reform. 

"We  desire  to  make  you  acquainted  with  our 
wishes,  and  to  obtain  your  hearty  cooperation  in 
giving  effect  to  them." 

The  other  translation  interprets  the  Emperor  as 
saying  :  "We  likewise  call  together  the  local  officers, 
causing  them  to  state  the  opinions  of  the  people," 
etc. ;  and  in  this  connection  a  Japanese  newspaper 
makes  the  remark  that  the  freedom  of  the  press  has 
in  that,  country  preceded  the  conferring  of  any  politi- 
cal power  on  the  people,  and  that  this  inversion  of  the 
usual  order  of  events  is  something  quite  remarkable. 

Of  all  the  events  connected  with  the  reign  of  the 
present  Emperor,  the  most  important  occurred  on  the 
twelfth  of  October,  1881,  when  he  issued  a  Decree  or 
Rescript,  for  the  establishment  of  a  Constitutional 
Government.     As  a  Japanese  scholar  wrote : 

"This  may  seem  to  be  nothing  to  outside  nations, 
but  if  you  take  into  consideration  the  rapid  growth 
and  influence  of  public  opinion  and  the  steady  prog- 


THE    EMPEROR    OF   JAPAN.  1/ 

ress  of  political  ideas  among  the  people,  it  is  the  most 
important  event  in  the  history  of  the  nation." 

IMPERIAL    DECREE. 

We,  sitting  on  the  throne  which  has  been  occupied  by  our  Dynasty 
for  over  2500  years,  and  now  exercising  in  our  own  name  and  right 
the  authority  and  power  transmitted  to  us  by  our  ancestors,  have  long 
had  it  in  view  gradually  to  establish  a  constitutional  form  of  govern- 
ment, to  the  end  that  our  successors  on  the  throne  may  be  provided 
with  a  rule  for  their  guidance. 

It  was  with  this  object  in  view  that  in  the  eighth  year  of  Meiji  we 
established  the  Senate,  and  in  the  eleventh  year  of  Meiji  authorized 
the  formation  of  local  assemblies,  thus  laying  the  foundation  for  the 
gradual  reforms  which  we  contemplated.  These,  our  acts,  must  con- 
vince you,  our  subjects,  of  our  determination  in  this  respect  from  the 
beginning. 

Systems  of  government  differ  in  different  countries,  but  sudden  and 
unusual  changes  cannot  be  made  without  great  inconvenience. 

Our  ancestors  in  heaven  watch  our  acts,  and  we  recognize  our  re- 
sponsibility to  them  for  the  faithful  discharge  of  our  high  duties,  in 
accordance  with  the  principles  and  the  perpetual  increase  of  the  glory 
they  have  bequeathed  to  us. 

We  therefore  hereby  declare  that  we  shall,  in  the  twenty-third  year 
of  Meiji,  establish  a  parliament  in  order  to  carry  into  full  effect  the  de- 
termination we  have  announced  ;  and  we  charge  our  faithful  subjects 
bearing  our  commissions  to  make,  in  the  meantime,  all  necessary  prep- 
arations to  that  end. 

With  regard  to  the  limitations  upon  the  Imperial  prerogative  and 
the  constitution  of  the  parliament,  we  shall  decide  hereafter  and  shall 
make  proclamation  in  due  time. 

We  perceive  that  the  tendency  of  our  people  is  to  advance  too  rap- 
idly, and  without  that  thought  and  consideration  which  alone  can 
make  progress  enduring,  and  we  warn  our  subjects,  high  and  low,  to 
be  mindful  of  our  will,  and  that  those  who  may  advocate  sudden  and 
violent  changes,  thus  disturbing  the  peace  of  our  realm,  will  fall  under 
our  displeasure.  We  expressly  proclaim  this  to  our  subjects.  By 
command  of  His  Imperial  Majesty, 

SANJO  SANETOMI, 
First  Minister  of  State. 

In  his  personal  appearance  the  Emperof  of  Japan  is 
rather  tall,  compared  with  his  countrymen  generally ; 
ind  he  has  a  healthy  physical  constitution.     He  has 


1 8  LEADING   MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

had  several  children.  Unlike  many  of  the  princes 
and  royal  personages  of  Europe,  he  is  not  addicted  to 
self-indulgence,  but  takes  delight  in  cultivating  his 
mind  ;  sparing  no  pains  nor  personal  inconvenience 
to  acquire  knowledge.  Although  still  young  he  fre- 
quently presides  at  the  meetings  of  his  Privy  Coun- 
cillors, composed  of  the  first,  second  and  third  Minis- 
ters of  State,  together  with  the  Sangi,  or  Councillors, 
whose  numbers  are  not  limited,  but  now  comprise 
about  ten  honored  names.  He  often  visits  his  exec- 
utive departments,  and  attends  at  all  the  public 
services  where  the  Imperial  presence  is  desirable. 
While  prosecuting  his  literary  as  well  as  scientific 
pursuits,  he  subjects  himself  to  the  strictest  rules, 
having  certain  hours  for  special  studies,  to  which  he 
rigidly  conforms.  In  his  character  he  is  said  to  be 
sagacious,  determined,  progressive  and  aspiring  ;  and 
from  the  beginning  of  his  reign  he  has  carefully  sur- 
rounded himself  with  the  wisest  statesmen  in  his 
Empire,  and  these  have  naturally  assisted  in  his  own 
development ;  so  that  it  is  almost  certain  that  his- 
tory will  testify  that  the  crown  of  Japan  has  been 
worn  in  the  present  century  by  one  who  was  worthy 
of  the  great  honor.  From  all  the  glimpses  that  we 
have  been  able  to  obtain  of  this  youthful  Emperor  of 
the  far  Orient,  we  are  led  to  believe  that  in  his  unsel- 
fish patriotism,  and  in  his  zealous  aspirations,  almost 
free  from  prejudices,  to  adopt  from  other  nations  all 
that  he  deems  beneficial  for  the  promotion  of  the 
national  welfare,  he  bears  a  striking  resemblance  to 
Peter  the  Great,  of  Russia.  With  such  a  vigorous 
ruler  and  such  a  progressive  people  as  his  subjects 
are  proving  themselves  to  be,  the  Empire  of  Japan 
may  well  count  upon  a  future  of  prosperity  and  happi- 
ness. 


KOMEI    TENNO. 

AS  we  have  given  an  account  of  the  present  Em- 
peror of  Japan,  it  cannot  but  prove  interesting 
to  Western  readers  to  learn  something  of  his  father, 
known  as  Komei  Tenno,  who  came  to  the  throne  in 
1846,  and  died  in  1867. 

He  was  the  fourth  son  of  Kojin  Tenno,  his  mother 
being  Shini-taiken-mon-in,  who  was  the  daughter  of 
a  Kuge  named  Ogimach-Sanemitsu.  Kojin  Tenn6 
died  in  the  second  month  of  the  third  year  of  Koka 
(18^4),  and  in  the  third  month  of  the  same  year  Komei 
Tenno  succeeded  his  father,  and  ascended  the  throne 
of  Japan,  being  at  this  time  sixteen  years  of  age. 
Though  so  young,  he  was  clever  and  endowed  with 
sound  judgment. 

In  the  fifth  month  of  the  same  year,  an  American 
vessel-of-war  arrived  off  Uraga,  and  demanded  that 
trade  should  be  opened  between  the  two  countries. 
In  reply  to  this  demand  Tokugawa  lyeyoshi,  the  then 
Shogun,  replied  through  one  of  his  councillors,  Okubo 
Tadatoyo,  that  Japan  had  from  time  immemorial  ab- 
stained from  all  intercourse  with  foreign  nations. 
The  vessel  therefore  left  in  the  sixth  month. 

In  the  ninth  month  of  the  following  year  the  cere- 
mony of  the  enthronement  of  Komei  Tenn6  was  per- 
formed at  Shi-shin-den  (Hall  of  Ceremony).  In  the 
fourth  month  of  the  second  year  of  Kanyei  (1849)  an 
English  man-of-war  arrived  at  Uraga,  and  in  the  fifth 

19 


20  LEADING    MEN    OK   JAPAN. 


year  of  the  same  a  Russian  war  vessel  came  to  Shim- 
oda.  In  the  sixth  month  of  the  following  year  the 
American  Envoy  Perry  arrived  off  Uraga  with  four 
vessels  of  war,  bringing  books  and  other  presents  to 
the  Shdgun,  and  requesting  that  a  treaty  for  purposes 
of  trade  might  be  drawn  up  between  the  two  countries. 
Up  to  this  time  the  only  foreign  vessels  which  had 
visited  Japan  had  been  the  Korean  and  Dutch  ships 
which  came  to  Nagasaki.  This  arrival  of  American 
men-of-war  was  therefore  altogether  strange.  The 
Dutch  presented  to  the  Government  a  memorial  pray- 
ing that  the  authorities  would  listen  to  the  demands 
of  the  foreign  powers  ;  or  that  otherwise  they  might 
endeavor  to  open  the  country  by  force.  Orders  were 
therefore  given  to  the  different  Daimios  to  construct 
fortifications  at  Omori  and  at  Shinagawa. 

At  the  castle  in  Yedo  consultations  were  held  as  to 
the  best  steps  to  be  taken.  The  decision  was  made 
known  to  the  Imperial  Court  at  Kiyoto  by  a  member 
of  the  Shogun's  council  named  Wakizaka.  The  Em- 
peror was  much  disturbed  by  these  events,  followed 
as  they  were  by  the  appearance  of  a  Russian  Com- 
mander with  four  men-of-war  at  Nagasaki,  likewise 
demanding  that  the  country  should  be  thrown  open  to 
trade. 

At  this  time,  as  peace  had  prevailed  in  the  country 
for  some  three  hundred  years,  the  power  of  Tokugawa 
exceeded  that  of  even  Taira-no-Kiyomori  or  Ashikaga 
Toshimitsu.  The  samurai  were  entirely  given  over  to 
luxury,  thinking  of  nothing  but  dancing,  singing  and 
the  like,  and  in  no  way  occupying  themselves  with 
military  studies.  Thus  their  spirit  had  almost 
become  extinct.  When  the  state  of  affairs  was  made 
known  throughout  the  country  there  was  great  excite- 
ment.    Messengers  were  flying   in   every  direction  ; 


KOMEI    TENNO.  21 


foreign  vessels  were  threatening  the  shores,  and  thus 
the  Bakufu  authorities  decided  in  order  to  gain  time 
for  preparation  and  to  evade  the  present  difficulties,  to 
grant  the  demands.  In  the  meantime  they  requested 
the  Imperial  Court  to  make  preparations  for  war.  In 
reply  to  the  Gorojiu  (Shogun's  Council)  Hotta,  the 
Prime  Minister  of  the  Mikado,  replied  that  as  the 
question  was  one  of  supreme  importance  it  was  the 
will  of  the  Emperor  that  the  Gosanke  (the  three  fami- 
lies of  Mito,  Owari  and  Kii  related  to  Tokugawa)  and 
the  whole  of  the  Daimios,  should  consult  together  and 
make  known  to  His  Majesty  the  result  of  their  coun- 
cils, when  he  would  decide  what  steps  to  take.  While 
this  was  in  progress,  however,  the  Regent  li  Kamon- 
no-Kami  concluded  treaties  with  the  foreign  powers 
and  opened  certain  ports  for  the  purposes  of  trade. 

The  ex-Daimio  of  Mito,  having  received  from  the 
Mikado  secret  orders,  raised  the  cry  of  Sonn6-joi ! 
(Honor  to  the  Emperor  and  expulsion  of  foreigners.) 
For  this  he  was  put  in  confinement  by  li  Kamon-no- 
Kami.  But  the  cry  was  taken  up  and  became  a  pop- 
ular one,  and  such  men  as  Hashimoto  Sanai,  Rai  Mi- 
kisaburo  (the  son  of  the  great  historian),  and  other 
prominent  scholars,  were  made  the  victims  of  the 
wrath  of  the  Bakufu  and  lost  their  lives. 

In  the  first  year  of  Bunkiu  (1861)  the  sister  ot 
Komei  Tenn6,  Katsu-no-Miya,  was  married  to  Toku- 
gawa lyemochi.  This  was  done  in  order  to  heal  the 
differences  which  existed  between  the  Imperial  Court 
and  the  Bakufu.  But  the  whole  country  was  indig- 
nant at  the  course  taken  by  the  Bakufu  in  not  follow- 
ing out  the  wishes  of  the  Emperor  with  regard  to 
.xpelling  barbarians.  Hence  various  evils  arose.  The 
Satsuma  samurai  having  killed  an  Englishman  at  Na- 
mamuga,  the  English  attacked  Kagoshima  with  a  fleet 


22  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

of  seven  men-of-war.  In  the  third  year  of  Bunkiu, 
Chiunangon  Sanj6  Saneyoshi  and  seven  other  Kuge 
fled  to  Ch6shiu.  By  the  order  of  the  Imperial  Court 
they  were  deprived  of  their  rank,  and  the  Choshiu 
samurai  were  forbidden  to  enter  Kagoshima. 

In  the  sixth  month  of  the  first  year  of  Gangi,  a 
Choshiu  samurai  named  Fukubara,  came  to  Fushimi 
and  petitioned  that  the  Daimio  of  Choshiu  and  his 
son  might  be  permitted  to  reside  at  Kiyoto,  and  that 
their  title  and  rank  might  be  restored  to  San  jo  and 
his  companions.  At  the  same  time  a  Choshiu 
samurai  named  Maki,  stationed  himself  near  Kiyoto, 
with  a  force  of  four  hundred  men.  The  inhabitants 
of  the  capital  were  thrown  into  a  great  state  of  alarm. 
H.  I.  H.  Prince  Arisugawa  and  seventy  others  peti- 
tioned that  the  Lord  of  Choshiu  and  the  eight  Kuge 
should  be  pardoned,  but  Nashushima  Noriyasu,  the 
Daimio  of  Aidzu,  demanded  that  they  should  be 
chastised.  On  hearing  of  this  the  Choshiu  men 
became  infuriated  and  attacked  the  city  of  Kiy6to 
in  the  ninth  month.  The  troops  of  Hitotsubashi 
guarded  the  Nakatachiuri  gate  while  those  of  Yasu- 
shima  were  guarding  the  Hamaguri  gate.  Kabata, 
the  commander  of  the  latter,  fell  into  an  ambuscade 
of  the  Choshiu  men,  and  was  killed,  his  troops  being 
entirely  routed.  The  Choshiu  men  were  advancing 
victoriously  when  they  were  attacked  and  utterly 
routed  by  the  Satsuma  and  Kawana  troops.  Both 
the  Ch6shiu  commanders  Fukubara  and  Kurushimi 
were  killed,  and  the  rest  either  committed  suicide  or 
fled  and  hid  themselves.  By  order  of  Nuriyasu,  the 
greater  part  of  the  city  of  Kiydto  was  destroyed  by 
fire. 

In  the   meantime  there  was  great   alarm  at   the 
court.      Some  wanted  to  remove  the  Emperor  to 


KOMEI   TENNO.  23 


Kamo,  but  Noriyasu*  decided  that  he  should  remain. 
Prince  Arisugawa  and  seventy  Kuge  being  placed  in 
confinement.  In  the  same  year  a  combined  attack 
was  made  by  the  Dutch,  American  and  other  vessels 
upon  Shimonoseki,  and  the  affair  was  finally  settled. 

The  troops  of  Tokugawa  surrounded  the  provinces 
of  Nagato,  Choshiu  and  Ino,  but  they  could  not  make 
headway  against  the  Choshiu  men,  who  obtained  pos- 
session of  Kokura  in  Bungo. 

In  the  eighth  month  of  the  second  year  of  Keio 
(1866)  the  Shogun,  Tokugawa  lyemochi,  died  at 
Osaka.  In  the  same  month  the  Emperor  died  of 
small-pox  at  the  age  of  thirty-six,  and  the  whole 
country  was  plunged  into  mourning. 

Thus  although  the  great  event  of  the  Restoration, 
which  placed  the  present  Emperor  in  possession  of 
full  powers,  took  place  in  the  following  year,  all  those 
which  brought  it  to  pass  occurred  in  the  reign  of 
Komei  Tenno,  and  thus  his  life  was  an  eventful  one 
and  subject  to  constant  anxiety. 


ARISUGAWA  TARUHITO. 

HE  was  born  on  the  nineteenth  of  February,  1835, 
and  is  the  present  representative  of  the  family 
founded  by  Prince  Toshihito,  the  seventh  son  of  the 
Emperor  Go-Yozei  Tenno,  who  reigned  from  1587  to 
161 1.  He  was  carefully  educated  at  the  Court  in 
Kiyoto,  where  his  youth  and  early  manhood  were 
passed,  and  attracted  considerable  attention  from  his 
elders,  the  young  Prince  giving  ample  evidence  of 
possessing  talents  far  exceeding  those  of  the  ordinary 
run  of  mankind,  whether  noble,  bourgeois  or  peasant. 

On  the  fifth  of  P'ebruary,  1868,  the  Emperor  took 
the  final  step  towards  the  restoration  of  his  imperial 
authority.  By  a  decree  issued  on  that  day,  Tokugawa 
Naifu  and  his  followers  were  stripped  of  their  honors 
and  dignities,  and  a  large  army  sent  to  overrun  their 
territories.  Recognizing  the  ability  of  the  Prince,  th  ^ 
Emperor  placed  him  in  supreme  command  of  the 
"Army  of  Chastisement,"  handing  him  at  the  same 
time  a  brocade  banner  and  sword  of  justice,  as  the  in- 
signia of  his  important  functions. 

Marching  against  the  adherents  of  the  deposed 
Shdgun,  now  a  contumacious  rebel,  the  army  under 
Prince  Arisugawa  —  who  was  assisted  by  Saigo 
Takamori  (Kichinosuke)  —  defeated  the  enemy  in 
various  engagements  and  marched  by  several  roads 
to  the  assault  of  Yedo,  capturing  on  the  way  the 
strong   fortress    of    Oshi-no-Gioda.     Arrived   before 

24 


ARISUGAWA    TARUIIITO.  25 

Yedo,  complete  and  unreserved  surrender  saved  the 
city  from  the  horrors  of  fire  and  plunder,  Prince 
Arisugavva  mercifully  consenting  to  accept  the  sub- 
mission of  Tokugawa,  just  as  the  stormers  were  as- 
sembled and  the  torches  lighted  which  would  have 
laid  Yedo  in  a  smouldering  mass  of  blood-stained 
ruins.  The  hot-bed  of  sedition  being  now  under  con- 
trol, strong  detachments  were  sent  out  in  various  di- 
rections to  destroy  the  scattered  band  of  disaffected 
ronins  and  followers  of  the  Aoi,  who  still  maintained 
a  desultory  resistance  throughout  the  eastern  prov- 
inces. The  operations  directed  by  Prince  Arisugawa 
were  attended  with  complete  success,  and  on  the  entry 
of  the  Emperor  to  Yedo  —  thenceforward  known  as 
Tokio  —  on  the  twenty-sixth  of  November,  1869,  His 
Imperial  Highness  had  the  satisfaction  of  returning 
into  the  hands  of  His  Majesty  the  brocade  banner 
and  sword  of  justice  in  token  of  the  complete  pacifi- 
cation of  the  north  and  east.  Rewards  and  honors 
were  attendant  upon  the  valuable  services  of  the 
Prince,  and  he  was  shortly  afterwards  entrusted  with 
the  task  of  quelling  the  disturbances  at  Fukuoka,  a 
duty  which  was  quickly  accomplished  with  slight 
bloodshed,  and  unaccompanied  with  the  fearful  scenes 
of  slaughter  which  usually  accompanied  a  victory  in 
the  times  to  which  we  refer. 

In  the  eighth  year  of  Meiji  (1875)  Prince  Aris- 
ugawa was  appointed  to  the  Senate,  shortly  after- 
wards taking  his  seat  as  President  of  that  august 
body  upon  the  retirement  of  Mr.  Goto  Shokiro. 

Two  years  subsequently  —  in  1877  —  the  renowned 
Saigo  Takamori  raised  the  standard  of  rebellion  in 
Satsuma,  and  commenced  the  sanguinary  struggle 
which  deluged  with  blood  the  southern  provinces  of 
Japan.      The   supreme    command    of    the   Imperial 


26  LEADING   MEN   OF  JAPAN. 

forces  was  conferred  upon  Prince  Arisugawa,  who 
landed  in  Kiushiu  with  his  army.  After  many 
battles  fought  at  first  with  varying  success,  the  great 
rebellion  was  crushed  and  feudalism  in  Japan  drowned 
in  blood  on  the  fatal  field  of  Shirayama,  where  the 
gallant  Saigo,  the  chivalrous  Kirino,  and  many  other 
dauntless  leaders,  fell  upon  their  swords,  and  thus 
spurned  the  mercy  their  conqueror  would  gladly  have 
accorded  them. 

On  his  return  to  the  capital,  His  Imperial  Highness 
was  appointed  Field-Marshal  in  the  Imperial  service, 
at  the  same  time  retaining  his  position  as  President 
of  the  Senate,  and  received  the  order  of  the  Chrys- 
anthemum, the  highest  decoration  in  the  gift  of  the 
Emperor. 

Uix)n  the  change  in  the  Government  at  the  com 
mencement  of  the  present  year,  the  subject  of  our  too 
brief  sketch  was  appointed  Sa-Daijin,  or  Junior  Prime 
Minister,  an  exalted  office  he  still  holds. 

His  Imi^erial  Highness  was  entrusted  with  the 
administration  of  the  Government  during  the  recent 
absence  of  the  Emperor  in  the  provinces;  nothing, 
however,  occurring  which  called  for  any  exertion  of 
his  well -proved  tact  and  ability. 

Prince  Arisugawa  is  recognized  as  among  the  fore- 
most workers  in  the  party  who  desire  to  join  with 
closer  ties  the  destinies  of  their  country  to  those  of 
Western  nations*  and,  as  no  small  proof  of  the 
sincerity  and  earnestness  of  his  purpose,  we  find 
serving  as  a  midshipman  on  board  of  Her  Majesty's 
ship  Iron  Duke,  the  son  and  heir  of  His  Imperial 
Highness,  Field-Marshal  Prince  Arisugawa  Taruhito. 


ENOMOTO  TAKEAKI. 

IN  after  years  when  the  hand  of  time  has  swept 
away  existing  prejudices  and  misconceptions, 
ample  justice  will  be  done  by  the  conscientious  histo- 
rian to  the  chivalrous  and  devoted  subject  of  this 
sketch,  who  in  a  remote  portion  of  the  Empire 
remained  constant  to  the  fealty  he  owed  his  feudal 
superior;  and,  disdaining  like  so  many  others  to  sever 
a  tie  consecrated  alike  by  honor  and  gratitude,  main- 
tained a  desperate  struggle  against  the  whole  might 
of  the  Empire  until  the  very  hopelessness  of  the 
attempt  rendered  further  resistance  a  crime.  Then, 
and  not  till  then,  did  Admiral  Enomoto  surrender  his 
untarnished  sword  to  the  victors  :  defeated,  but  not 
dishonored,  he  wrested  admiration  from  his  foes,  and 
how  well  and  faithfully  he  served  his  former  master 
afforded  a  bright  augury,  since  amply  fulfilled,  of  the 
loyalty  afterwards  so  often  proved. 

Sprung  from  the  best  blood  of  the  Tokugawa, 
Enomoto  was  despatched  to  Holland  with  two  com- 
panions in  the  year  1863,  to  study  the  art  of  maritime 
war.  Of  his  career  in  the  land  of  canals  and  dykes, 
but  still  teeming  with  memories  of  great  naval  heroes 
whose  glorious  example  must  have  excited  a  spirit  of 
emulation  in  the  young  sailor,  we  have  unfortunately 
no  record,  and  we  next  hear  of  him  in  the  autumn  of 
1867,  when  he  returned  to  Japan  on  board  the  Kaiyo 
Mam,  a  man-of-war  built  by  the  Dutch  for  the 
Sh6gunate. 

27 


28  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

Enomoto  received  the  appointment  of  Assistant- 
Administrator  of  the  Navy,  an  important  position  he 
occupied  when  those  troublous  times  fell  upon  the 
country,  during  which  he  inscribed  with  his  sword  a 
stirring  record  on  the  page  of  history. 

When  the  downfall  was  apparent  of  the  feudal  sys- 
tem, which  under  the  rule  of  the  Tokugawa  had  pre- 
served Japan  from  the  horrors  of  internecine  strife  for 
nearly  three  centuries,  the  last  Shdgun  was  urged  to 
commit  hara-kifi,  an  insane  proposal  strongly  and 
successfully  opposed  by  Enomoto  and  others.  Refus- 
ing, however,  to  despair  of  ultimate  victory  while  a 
single  hope  remained,  the  admiral  got  his  squadron  — 
consisting  of  seven  men-of-war  —  under  way,  and 
while  the  vanguard  of  the  Imperialists  entered  the 
capital,  he  sailed  from  Shinagawa  at  night  in  the 
midst  of  a  terrific  storm  of  wind  and  rain.  Nego- 
tiations which  subsequently  took  place  resulted  in  the 
surrender  to  the  Imperial  authorities  of  a  portion 
of  the  war  vessels,  the  remainder — still  under  En- 
omoto's  command  —  being  bestowed  upon  the  Toku- 
gawa. Dissatisfied,  however,  with  the  conduct  of 
affairs,  Enomoto  again  sailed  from  Shinagawa,  taking 
with  him  eight  men-of-war  and  transports,  a  letter 
he  left  behind  criticising  the  action  of  the  govern- 
ment officials  explaining  sufficiently  the  reasons  which 
prompted  a  step  he  must  have  since  often  and  deeply 
regretted. 

Enomoto  then  gathered  together  such  scattered 
fragments  of  the  Shdgun's  forces  as  could  make  their 
way  to  the  seashore,  as  almost  every  means  of  egress 
was  beset  by  overwhelming  numbers  of  their  adversa- 
ries. With  these  reinforcements  a  descent  on  Hako- 
date was  determined  upon,  and,  after  some  hard 
fighting,  the  town  and  district  was  captured.     Here  a 


ENOMOTO   TAKEAKI.  29 

conference  was  held  with  the  foreign  consuls,  and, 
although  we  do  not  affirm  that  such  a  course  was 
recommended  or  joined  in  by  the  representatives  of 
the  foreign  powers,  still  as  a  matter  of  history  these 
last  remnants  of  the  once  powerful  Tokugawa  estab- 
lished a  republic  in  Hakodate,  Enomoto  being  elected 
President,  Matsudaira  Toro  (now  Consul  at  Vladivo- 
stock)  Vice-President,  and  the  other  necessary 
officials  duly  appointed.  Enomoto  then  sent  a 
petition  to  the  Imperial  Government,  through  the 
kindly  offices  of  the  captain  of  a  British  man-of-war, 
and  prayed  that  the  island  of  Yesso  should  be  granted 
to  the  Tokugawa  clan,  who  would  faithfully  hold  the 
"  Northern  Gate  "  of  the  Empire  against  all  comers. 
This  petition  was  refused  and  a  powerful  expedition 
fitted  out  to  crush  the  last  embers  of  disaffection 
then  remaining  in  Japan. 

The  blow  at  last  fell.  After  long  continued  resist- 
ance and  the  exhibition  of  a  dauntless  courage  never 
surpassed  in  the  brightest  days  of  chivalry  in  old 
Japan,  the  day  at  length  came  when  the  generous 
offers  of  the  Imperial  commander  had  to  be  accepted, 
and  Enomoto  with  his  remaining  comrades  were 
transferred  to  the  capital  under  arrest. 

The  Imperial  clemency  was  shortly  afterwards  ex- 
tended to  the  subject  of  this  memoir,  and  he  again 
entered  the  service  of  his  country.  Quick  promotion 
soon  followed. 

In  1874  he  received  a  commission  as  Vice- Admiral 
in  the  Navy,  and  was  afterwards  appointed  Envoy 
Extraordinary  and  Minister  Plenipotentiary  to  the 
Court  of  St.  Petersburg.  During  his  stay  in  the 
capital  of  Russia,  the  admiral  studied  the  language 
of  the  country  and  also  French.  His  proficiency  in 
the  latter  is  considerably  above  the  average,  and  he  has 


30  LEADING   MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

translated  from  it  into  Japanese  a  work  called  The 
State  of  Corea. 

On  returning  from  St.  Petersburg  the  admiral 
received  further  official  promotion,  and  was  appointed 
Naval  Minister  of  the  Empire. 

Of  commanding  personal  appearance,  affable  in 
manner,  and  possessing  in  an  unusual  degree  the 
rare  combination  of  admirable  qualities  requisite  to 
produce  an  able  administrator  and  successful  leader. 
Admiral  Enomoto  is  justly  regarded  as  one  of  the 
most  prominent  men  in  the  Empire.  In  1881,  he 
was  attached  to  the  Imperial  Household,  and  is 
superintending  the  building  of  the  new  palace  for 
the  Emperor. 


ENOUYE  YOSHIKADSU. 

THIS  rarely-gifted  but  ill-fated  scholar  was  allied 
to  a  family  of  samurai,  and  was  born  near  the 
castle  of  Fukuoka,  Japan,  July  6th,  1852.  His  father 
was  poor  and  his  early  education  was  neglected,  but 
his  natural  abilities  having  been  reported  to  General 
K.  Kuroda,  that  dignitary  sent  the  young  man  to 
Nagasaki  to  be  educated  ;  in  1868,  by  the  same  pat- 
ronage he  was  sent  to  America,  and,  under  the  guid- 
ance of  Gilbert  Attwood  (one  of  the  best  American 
friends  of  the  Japanese  students)  obtained  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  English  language  at  Boston  and  its  vicin- 
ity. He  then  turned  his  attention  to  law,  entered 
the  Harvard  law  school  and  made  rapid  progress ; 
participated  in  various  debates,  and  received  from 
Harvard  the  degree  of  LL.  B.;  and  several  essays 
which  were  printed  in  the  work  entitled  The  Japanese 
in  America,  were  greatly  praised  by  the  press  in 
America  and  England.  In  1874  he  returned  to 
Japan,  and  was  appointed  to  a  position  in  the  Navy 
Department ;  but  as  he  had  lost  the  mastery  of  his 
native  language,  his  services  in  that  capacity  were  not 
satisfactory,  and  he  resigned.  He  then  established  a 
private  school  for  teaching  the  English  branches  of 
learning,  but  the  Government  wanted  his  services  in 
the  Imperial  University,  where  he  made  himself  of 
great  use  as  a  Professor  of  Law  and  English  Litera- 
ture ;  he  also  delivered  lectures  regularly  outside  of 

3' 


32  LEADING   MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

his  routine  duties  on  subjects  connected  with  law ; 
and  although  he  married  and  was  pleasantly  settled 
in  life,  the  fact  (added  to  depression  caused  by  bad 
health)  that  he  had  lost  his  Japanese  tongue,  preyed 
upon  his  mind,  until  by  his  own  act  his  days  were 
ended  in  January,  1879.  ^"  ^^^  following  year  an 
account  of  his  life  and  character  were  written  by  Mr. 
Kentaro  Kaneko,  and  with  his  collected  writings  was 
published  in  Tokio,  a  copy  of  which  was  presented  to 
the  present  writer  by  Mr.  Enouye's  pupils.  That  he 
was  a  young  man  of  high  character  and  very  great 
abilities,  was  the  universal  verdict  of  his  countrymen, 
and  his  untimely  death  was  a  public  calamity. 


FUJITA  HIO. 

FUJITA  HIO  was  a  native  of  Mito,  son  of  Fiijita 
Itsusei,  and  his  family  was  descended  from 
Onono  Takamura.  At  a  certain  time  an  ancestor  of 
his  house  became  a  retainer  of  the  Daimio  of  Mito. 
In  his  early  days  he  was  fond  of  military  exercises, 
and  he  learned  the  arts  of  war  from  his  father.  After 
that  he  went  to  Yedo  and  acquired  the  sword-exercise 
from  Okada,  and  the  spear  practise  from  Ito,  always 
neglecting  to  pay  the  slightest  attention  to  literature. 
In  the  seventh  year  of  Bunsei  an  American  ship  which 
was  sailing  about  stranded  on  the  coast  of  Hidachi. 
The  crew  landed  at  Ot^u-mura,  attacked  and  robbed 
the  people,  and  threw  the  village  into  confusion.  As 
soon  as  this  news  was  reported,  Hio's  father  was  very 
much  excited,  and  said  to  his  son  :  "  As  you  know, 
during  the  past  few  years,  foreign  barbarians  have 
visited  our  coast  very  often,  and  sometimes  they  have 
made  use  of  cannon,  and  so  caused  great  disturbance 
among  the  people.  But,  alas  !  all  our  countrymen  are 
contented  with  a  momentary  peace,  and  they  take  no 
heed  of  the  danger  of  the  future.  I  am  deeply  sorry 
for  them,  that  they  have  no  courage  or  spirit  of 
patriotism.  Now  I  advise  you,  my  son,  to  go  to  Otsu- 
mura  immediately,  and  to  watch  what  the  foreigners 
are  doing ;  and  when  an  opportunity  occurs,  slay 
them  all,  and  afterwards  report  personally  to  the  Gov- 
ernment what   you   would   have  done,    and   bravely 

33 


34  LEADING   MEN   OF  JAPAN. 

accept  the  judgment  of  the  authorities.  This  will 
not  be  a  service  of  the  highest  importance  for  the 
country,  but  we  should  be  quite  satisfied  to  manifest 
our  yamato  tamashi  (conservative  feeling)  even  in  so 
small  a  way."  Hio,  having  listened  to  his  father's 
advice,  quite  sympathized  in  the  scheme,  and  a  stern 
resolve  to  carry  it  out  was  exhibited  in  his  face. 
While  he  was  making  preparation  for  departure  upon 
this  errand,  a  report  was  brought  from  Otsu-mura  to 
the  effect  that  the  Americans  had  retired,  and  that 
no  foreigner  remained  on  shore.  He  was  disappointed 
and  felt  great  regret  at  this  circumstance,  as  it  inter- 
fered with  the  execution  of  his  father's  order.  At 
that  time  he  was  only  nineteen  years  old. 

Not  long  after  this  it  came  to  his  reflection  that 
the  famous  scholar  Hokuwan  had  been  noted  for  his 
want  of  military  knowledge,  and  that  Zuiriku,  who  was 
skilful  in  arts  of  war,  was  equally  unfamiliar  with  lit- 
erature. For  this  reason  each  was  laughed  at  for  his 
special  ignorance  by  the  ancients.  Therefore  Futija 
resolved  to  give  attention  to  literary  studies,  and  went 
to  Yedo  again  and  became  intimate  with  Kameta 
and  Ota,  who  were  distinguished  members  of  society. 
With  them  he  learned  the  history  of  the  Japanese 
political  system.  At  this  time  Keizaburo,  the  second 
son  of  the  Mito  Daimio,  wondering  greatly  at  the 
assiduity  of  Fujita,  wrote  a  motto  consisting  of  two 
large  characters,  "7^1/ j^>^?/,"  or  "Without  rest,"  and 
gave  it  to  him.  Fujita  hung  this  inscription  on  the 
wall  of  his  study,  where  he  could  always  look  at  it. 
While  he  was  in  Yedo  his  father  died,  whereupon  he 
returned  home,  and  after  that  was  appointed  Hensiu 
of  a  school  named  the  Sho-ko-kuwan  of  Mito.  In  the 
course  of  his  labors,  he  brought  about  the  discussion 
of  certain  social  principles  in  a  manner  that  excited 


FUJITA   HIO.  35 


much  admiration  and  favor  among  his  followers  and 
the  public,  who  were  delighted  with  his  arguments,  so 
that  his  fame  suddenly  increased  very  rapidly.  Just 
then  Seisiu,  the  Daimio  of  Mite,  was  very  sick,  and 
the  question  of  appointing  his  successor  was  agitated 
throughout  the  province.  The  opinions  of  the  people 
were  not  unanimous.  Fujita  thought  Keizaburo,  the 
second  son  before  mentioned,  would  be  the  most 
suitable  heir  to  the  name  and  rank,  and  he  went  to 
Yedo  secretly  and  had  an  interview  with  Matsudaira, 
Daimio  of  Moriyama,  to  endeavor  to  put  his  views  in 
force.  On  all  occasions  he  earnestly  urged  the  selec- 
tion of  Keizaburo.  His  arguments  were  so  eloquent 
and  reasonable  that  the  Bakufu  government  sanctioned 
the  nomination  which  he  advocated,  and  the  new  heir 
was  honored  by  receiving  the  name  of  Nariaki  from 
the  Shogun.  Obtaining  the  joyful  intelligence  of  his 
success,  Fujita  returned  home,  and  began  to  employ 
himself  in  the  service  of  the  local  government  of 
Mito.  His  uniform  kindness  and  his  high  character 
led  his  society  to  be  much  sought  after  by  the  most 
eminent  men  of  the  time.  He  was  also  distinguished 
for  his  ability  in  composing  poetry  —  a  faculty  which 
he  frequently  exercised.  In  the  first  year  of  Kokuwa 
the  Bakufu  government  ordered  the  lord  of  Mito  to 
retire  from  his  office  and  be  confined  in  his  private 
house,  and  Fujita  was  also  imprisoned  at  the  same 
time  at  a  village  called  Komme. 

Fujita  was  imprisoned  three  years.  After  his  lib- 
eration he  published  some  volumes  entitled  Hidachi 
Obiy  and  Kuwaiten  Shishi.  The  chief  purpose  of 
these  books  was  to  demonstrate  that  his  master, 
Nariaki,  respected  the  Imperial  government  with  all 
his  heart,  while  he  was  at  the  same  time  endeavoring 
to  assist  the  Tokugawa  rulers.     He  also  advocated 


36  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

the  plan  of  colonizing  Hokkai  Do  (Yezo)  upon  a 
system  which,  if  carried  out,  would  doubtless  have 
greatly  improved  the  condition  of  that  island.  All 
the  intelligent  and  virtuous  men  quite  sympathized 
with  the  statements  and  the  arguments  put  forward 
in  these  works,  and  many  scholars  assembled  day  by 
day  at  Fujita's  house  for  the  purpose  of  enlarging 
their  knowledge  of  literature  under  his  guidance.  In 
the  sixth  year  of  Kayei  an  American  ship  of  war 
appeared  in  a  bay  in  the  neighborhood  of  Yedo,  and 
a  desire  to  communicate  with  the  Government  was 
expressed.  At  that  time  the  Bakufu  authorities  sud- 
denly released  Nariaki  of  Mito  from  confinement,  and 
requested  him  to  submit  a  plan  for  the  defence  of  the 
sea  coast.  Fujita  went  to  Yedo  with  his  lord  and 
was  employed  in  projects  for  strengthening  the  forti- 
fications along  the  shore.  But  the  Tokugawa  officers 
being  afraid  of  the  foreigners,  they  agreed  to  nego- 
tiate a  treaty  without  first  obtaining  the  permission  of 
the  Emperor  at  Kioto.  Fujita  was  exasperated  by 
the  cowardly  conduct  of  the  officials  then  in  power, 
and  wrote  some  verses  in  which  his  resolute  temper 
was  plainly  indicated.  All  the  patriotic  feeling  of 
society  was  aroused  by  the  spirit  which  Fujita  mani- 
fested, and  he  was  honored  by  a  special  recognition 
of  his  services  from  the  Emperor.  While  he  was 
making  this  visit  to  Yedo  a  severe  earthquake 
occurred,  on  the  second  of  the  tenth  month  of  the 
first  year  of  Ansei.  Fujita  hurried  to  the  private 
room  of  Nariaki  his  master,  and  took  him  out  into 
the  garden  for  safety;  but  unfortunately  the  house 
was  shattered  to  pieces  as  they  were  leaving  it,  and  a 
large  beam  fell  upon  Fujita  and  caused  his  death. 
He  was  fifty  years  old. 


FUKUCHI  GENICHIRO. 

THIS  prominent  member  of  the  "  Fourth  Es- 
tate "  of  Japan  was  born  at  Nagasaki  in  1840. 
While  yet  a  young  man  he  acquired  a  knowledge 
of  the  Chinese  and  Dutch  languages,  and  forthwith 
became  a  kind  of  professional  interpreter.  About  the 
year  1858,  he  removed  to  Yedo,  where  he  devoted 
himself  to  the  study  of  English,  French  and  German, 
and  became  an  interpreter  in  the  Foreign  Depart- 
ment of  the  Tycoon's  Government.  In  1862,  when 
an  embassy  was  sent  to  the  United  States  and 
Europe,  Mr.  Fukuchi  was  made  a  member  and  ren- 
dered important  assistance  by  the  use  of  his  various 
acquirements.  During  the  excitement  attending  the 
Restoration,  he  published  the  first  newspaper  ever 
issued  in  Japan,  and,  not  hesitating  to  express  his  opin- 
ions with  the  utmost  freedom,  he  offended  the  Imperial 
Government,  was  thrown  into  prison  for  his  temerity, 
but  soon  released  on  the  condition  that  he  would  not 
continue  to  issue  his  journal. 

A  few  months  afterwards  he  was  invited  to  a  posi- 
tion in  the  Treasury  Department,  and  when  it  was 
decided  to  send  a  commission  to  the  United  States  to 
investigate  the  banking  and  commercial  systems  of  the 
country,  he  was  made  one  of  the  members,  with  Messrs. 
Ito  and  Yoshikawa  ;  and  on  his  return  he  published 
a  valuable  book  on  the  subjects  which  the  commission 
had  investigated. 

Z7 


38  LEADING    MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

When  the  Iwakura  Embassy  was  organized  in  1871, 
Mr.  Fukuchi  ws^s  asked  to  take  the  position  of  First 
Secretary,  which  he  accepted,  and  accompanied  the 
Ministers  in  their  tour  of  observation  around  the 
world.  On  his  return  to  Japan  in  1873,  he  resumed 
the  profession  of  a  journalist  in  Tokio,  and  became  the 
editor-in-chief  of  the  Nichi-Nichi-Shimbim,  which  has 
ever  since  been  one  of  the  leading  newspapers  in  the 
Empire. 

In  1875  he  became  an  officer  of  the  Dai-jo-kwan, 
and  acted  as  Secretary  of  the  Assembly  of  Local 
Governors  until  its  dissolution.  He  subsequently 
held  an  honorable  position  connected  with  the  city 
government  of  Tokio.  During  the  late  rebellion  in 
Satsuma,  he  joined  the  Imperial  forces,  and  sent  reg- 
ular letters  to  his  journal  from  the  field  of  conflict. 
On  his  return  to  Tokio  his  friend  Mr.  Kido,  then  a 
private  counsellor  of  the  Emperor,  had  him  presented 
at  the  palace,  where  he  gave  a  minute  account  of  his 
observations  in  Satsuma,  which  audience  was  followed 
by  a  dinner  and  the  presentation  of  many  valuable 
presents  by  the  Emperor. 

In  1878  he  was  again  called  to  assist  the  Assembly 
of  Local  Governors;  and  in  1879,  when  the  regular 
local  parliament  was  opened,  he  was  chosen  a  repre- 
sentative for  the  city  of  Tokio,  and  was  made 
speaker  or  chairman  of  that  important  assembly  or 
parliament.  When  General  Grant  was  in  Japan,  Mr. 
Fukuchi  was  chairman  of  the  special  committee  des- 
ignated to  assist  in  -the  various  demonstrations  organ- 
ized to  honor  the  noted  American. 

In  casting  about  for  a  brief  quotation  which  would 
give  the  foreign  reader  an  idea  of  Mr.  Fukuchi's  style 
of  writing,  we  have  selected  the  following,  which, 
though  written  when  his  duties  as  the  regular  editor 


FUKUCHI    GENICHIRO.  39 

of  the  Nichi-Nichi-Shimbim  had  ceased,  is  undoubt- 
edly from  his  pen ;  and  it  is  especially  interesting 
because  of  the  fact  that  he  had  himself  formerly  been 
punished  for  disobeying  the  press  laws.  Alluding  to 
the  editors  of  the  Japan  Gazette  and  the  Mainichi 
Shijfibtui,  he  proceeds  as  follows  : 

"They  are  contemporaneous  newspaper  writers. 
They  are  the  controversialists  living  in  one  country. 
One  of  them  is,  however,  limited  by  law  in  asserting 
his  opinion,  and  is  occasionally  brought  before  the 
courts  as  a  criminal,  while  on  the  contrary,  the  other 
uses  his  pen  free  from  any  peril  of  the  law.  A  great 
difference  exists  between  the  positions  occupied  by 
these  newspaper  writers  with  regard  to  the  limit  and 
extent  of  their  privileges,  or  the  restrictions  imposed 
upon  them  in  our  country.  Toyama  Unzo,  the  editor 
of  the  Alaifiichi  Shimbun,  has  been  summoned  before 
the  Yokohama  Saibansho  for  having  re-published  in 
his  paper  a  paragraph  which  appeared  in  the  Japan 
Gazette^  and  was  sentenced  to  one  year's  imprison- 
ment. 

"The  paragraph  in  t'ho.  Japan  Gazette  is  not  alto- 
gether correct,  and  it  is  clear  that  that  paragraph  was 
written  by  the  editor  as  a  pure  invention.  But 
according  to  the  sentence  pronounced  by  the  Yoko- 
hama Saibansho  upon  Toyama,  the  latter  is  declared 
ocuilty  for  reproducing  the  said  paragraph  in  the 
Japan  Gazette^  for  the  purpose  of  causing  trouble  by 
announcing  changes  in  the  Government  and  disquiet- 
ing the  country.  Referring  to  the  action  with  regard 
to  Toyama,  the  Japaii  Gazette  has  expressed  an  opin- 
ion criticising  it  as  "strained  and  severe,"  but  we  can 
say  nothing  about  this  judgment.  Considering  which 
of  the  two  editors  mentioned  above  has  committed 
the  greater  crime,  we  find  that  the  editor  of  thQ  Japan 


40  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

Gazette  published  the  offensive  paragraph  first,  and 
the  Mainichi  Shimbun  translated  and  republished  it ; 
and  on  this  account,  the  former  cannot  be  considered 
less  criminal  than  the  latter.  Taking  the  sentence 
passed  upon  Toyama  into  consideration,  it  is  evident 
that  the  editor  of  the  Japaji  Gazette  ought  not  to 
escape  imprisonment  for  one  year —  the  same  term  as 
Toyama  suffers  for  the  offence  he  committed.  Both 
the  Japan  Gazette  and  the  Mainichi  Shimbim  are 
pursuing  the  same  business  in  Yokohama,  and  they 
have  published  the  same  matter  in  their  respective 
papers.  For  so  doing,  the  editor  of  the  Maifiichi 
Shimbun  was  condemned  to  one  year's  imprisonment, 
but  the  editor  of  the  Japan  Gazette  is  permitted  to 
escape  without  receiving  even  censure.  May  we  say 
that  this  is  his  good  fortune,  or  say  that  it  is  the  mis- 
fortune of  the  Mainichi  Shimbun  ?  We  do  not  know 
which. 

"  The  editor  of  the  Mainichi  Shimbun  is  a  Japanese 
subject  and  governed  by  the  Japanese  law,  while  the 
editor  of  the  Japan  Gazette  being  a  subject  of  Eng- 
land is  under  no  obligation  to  our  law.  In  Japan, 
newspaper  regulations  are  in  force,  under  which  the 
native  newspaper  writers  may  criminate  themselves  ; 
but  there  are  no  such  regulations  in  England,  and  no 
English  subjects  who  conduct  newspapers  receive 
even  warnings.  The  editor  of  the  Mainichi  Shimbun 
is  therefore  condemned  to  one  year's  imprisonment 
for  having  published  the  same  paragraph  as  the 
Japan  Gazette,  while  the  latter  is  free  even  from  cen- 
sure. Great  is  the  difference  of  fortune  of  men  of  the 
same  occupation !  shall  we  sympathize  with  the  unfort- 
unate editor  of  the  Mainichi  Shimbun  ?  Or  congrat- 
ulate the  good  fortune  of  the  editor  of  the  Japan 
Gazette f    No,  we  do  neither;  but   we   regret   that 


FUKUCHI    GENICHIRO.  4I 

owing  to  the  existence  of  the  extra-territoriality 
clause,  the  editor  who  published  a  paragraph  in  his 
paper  for  the  purpose  of  catisiiig  trouble^  by  armouncing 
cJiangcs  ill  the  Japanese  Government  and  disquieting  the 
country,  has  fortunately  escaped  the  punishment  which 
his  crime  deserves. 

"  In  order  to  punish  newspaper-writers  for  their  im- 
proper conduct,  the  press  regulations  were  estab- 
lished ;  but  they  were  not  intended  to  prevent  free 
discussion  ;  they  were  also  intended  to  prevent  offen- 
sive expression  of  opinions,  which  might  influence 
general  feeling  and  violate  the  peace  of  the  country. 
Thus  the  editor  of  the  Mainichi  Shinibun  was  con- 
demned to  one  year's  imprisonment  for  having  repro- 
duced a  paragraph  in  the  Japan  Gazette,  calculated  to 
disturb  the  government  and  people  ;  consequently  the 
original  writer  of  that  paragraph,'  the  editor  of  the 
Japan  Gazette,  is  equally  a  criminal,  guilty  of  the  same 
offence.  Owing  to  the  strong  protection  he  enjoys 
under  extra-territoriality,  we  cannot  punish  him 
directly  by  our  law,  but  we  cannot  pass  over  his 
offence  without  discussion.  Our  Government  ought 
to  bring  an  action  against  him  before  the  British  Court 
in  Yokohama,  urging  his  proper  punishment ;  if  it  be 
rejected  there,  the  case  should  be  appealed  to  the 
Supreme  Court  at  Shanghai.  Although  there  are  no 
press  regulations  in  England,  the  law  of  libel  is  now 
m  force,  and  those  who  write  for  the  purpose  of  creat- 
ing trouble,  by  announcing  changes  in  the  Govern- 
ment, thereby  disquieting  the  country,  are  turbulent 
persons  and  public  enemies,  who  are  prosecuted  in 
any  country  of  the  world.  If  the  English  judge  pos- 
sesses right  and  just  discrimination,  like  that  used  by 
the  judge  of  the  Yokohama  Court,  he  will  consider  the 
opinions  expressed  by  the  Japan  Gazette  dangerous 


42  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

and  turbulent,  and  he  will  punish  the  editor  accord- 
ingly. The  Japan  Gazette  and  Mamicki  Shimbuii 
differ  in  their  language,  one  being  English  and  the 
other  Japanese;  but  with  regard  to  their  crime  for 
having  published  offensive  matter,  they  are  equal. 
For  this  reason,  we  believe  that  the  Government  can- 
not condemn  one  without  proceeding  against  the 
other.  But  up  to  this  date,  neither  the  native  or  for- 
eign press  has  advised  an  action  against  the  editor  of 
\.\i^  Japan  Gazette  to  be  brought  b}^  the  Japanese  Gov- 
ernment. Persons  may  ask  the  following  questions, 
to  which,  we  fear,  we  are  unequal  to  give  satisfactory 
answers.  How  is  it  that  a  paragraph  in  the  Japan 
Gazette  of  a  dangerous  and  seditious  character  cannot 
create  a  disturbance  "i  What  is  the  reason  that  the 
influence  upon  the  people  caused  by  this  paragraph 
differs  because  of  the  Japanese  and  English  language } 
How  can  we  say  that  the  Japanese  read  no  English 
newspapers  .?  How  can  we  say  that  there  is  no  danger 
to  apprehend  from  spreading  such  unfounded  reports 
in  foreign  countries  by  publishing  them  in  the  Japan 
Gazette  ? 

"For  the  reasons  referred  to,  we  believe  that  the 
Government  of  Japan  will  bring  an  action  against  the 
editor  of  the  Japan  Gazette,  before  the  British  Court, 
and  also  that,  notwithstanding  the  existence  of  the 
extra-territoriality  clause,  the  Government  will  not 
permit  his  crime  to  escape  investigation.  We  have 
no  doubt,  therefore,  that  the  fortunes  of  the  two  edi- 
tors guilty  of  a  similar  offence  will  be  made  equal." 

It  seems  to  us  that  the  most  able  journalists  of  Lon- 
don or  New  York  would  hardly  acquit  themselves 
with  more  ability  and  propriety  under  the  same 
circumstances. 


FUKUZAWA   YOUKICHI. 

HE  was  born  in  Nakatsu,  Buzen,  or  what  is  now 
called  Oida  Ken,  about  the  year  1834.  He 
applied  himself  to  the  study  of  Chinese  at  an  early  age, 
and  subsequently  went  to  Osaka,  where  he  acquired  a 
knowledge  of  the  Dutch  language.  In  1858  he  went 
to  Tokio,  where  he  continued  his  studies  with  great 
zeal.  In  i860,  under  the  patronage  of  a  naval  officer, 
he  went  to  America,  where  he  remained  several 
months.  On  his  return  he  brought  to  his  country  '^ 
the  first  Webster's  Unabridged  Dictionary  that  was  '' 
ever  imported.  In  1862  he  again  went  abroad,  this 
time  to  Europe,  where  he  purchased  a  number  of  for- 
eign books.  In  1866  he  graduated  from  the  student 
into  the  author,  by  the  publication  of  a  volume  entitled 
Set  Yojijo;  or^  Western  Habits,  a.  collection  of  trans- 
lations, as  is  well  known,  from  foreign  literature. 
This  was  the  first  work  of  the  kind  that  had  appeared 
in  Japan,  and  it  instantly  gained  a  wide  popularity. 
After  the  appearance  of  the  Western  Habits^  Mr. 
Fukuzawa  again  visited  the  United  States,  and  on  his 
return  he  was  appointed  one  of  the  instructors  in  the 
old  Kai  Sei  Jo,  a  position  which  he  held  till  the 
breaking  out  of  the  war  of  the  Restoration.  He  had 
already  established  his  private  school,  the  Keiogijiku, 
and  begun  to  win  recognition  as  a  teacher.  The 
political  agitations  consequent  on  the  civil  war  drew 
attention  to  his  Sei  Yo  JijOy  and  increased  its  author's 

43 


44  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 


reputation.  Printed  in  an  easy  character,  and  treating 
of  interesting  subjects  in  an  attractive  style,  the 
masses  were  not  deterred  from  reading  and  appre- 
ciating it  by  the  criticisms  which  some  purists  made 
on  its  form  and  methods.  The  "  Mita  fashion  "  be- 
came the  fashion,  in  spite  of  the  opposition  of  science. 

In  the  seventh  year  of  Meiji  he  published  his  cele- 
brated Gakumon  no  Susume ;  or,  Progress  of  Educa- 
tion, in  which  he  advanced  the  opinion  that  Death  is 
a  democrat  ;  and  that  the  samurai  who  died  fighting 
for  his  country,  and  the  servant  who  was  slain  while 
caught  stealing  from  his  master,  were  alike  dead  and 
useless.  This  attack  on  the  dignity  of  the  military 
class  aroused  fierce  opposition,  and  filled  the  newspa- 
pers with  angry  discussions.  The  debate  excited  uni- 
versal attention,  and  resulted,  we  cannot  doubt,  in  a 
general  advance  in  public  sentiment  on  the  subject  of 
natural  rights.  In  the  following  year,  the  now  famous 
schoolmaster  opened  a  lecture  hall  in  connection  with 
his  academy,  and  delivered,  for  its  inauguration,  an 
eloquent  public  address,  by  which  act  he  imported  the 
lyceum  into  his  country.  And  as  he  gave  a  new 
sphere  to  the  form,  so  he  was  no  less  instrumental  in 
developing  a  scholarly  association  of  a  more  retired 
character,  the  Mei^Roku  Sha,  or  Society  of  the  Sixth 
Year  of  Meiji.  This  organization,  established  by  Mr. 
Mori  on  his  return  from  America,  chose  Mr.  Fuku- 
zawa  as  its  first  president,  an  honor  which  he  resigned 
in  favor  of  the  young  founder.  He  has,  however, 
retained  a  leading  connection  with  this  body,  which 
includes  such  representative  men  as  the  Mitsukuris, 
Nishimura,  Kato  and  Nishi. 

Though  it  is  rather  as  a  public  instructor  and  a 
critic  of  government  in  the  abstract  than  as  an  active 
politician  that  Mr.  Fukuzawa  has  wielded  influence. 


FUKUZAWA   YOUKICHI.  45 

Still  in  the  debate  on  the  establishment  of  a  House  of 
Commons,  according  to  the  plans  proposed  by  Itagaki 
and  Goto,  his  influence  was  earnestly  exerted  on  the 
more  conservative  side,  his  opinion  being  that  the 
time  was  not  rife  for  such  an  experiment,  while  he 
advocated  the  formation  of  local  assemblies  as  a  pre- 
liminary step.  His  moderate  views  in  this  discussion, 
however,  have  not  brought  him  into  the  confidence  of 
a  strong  party  in  the  Government,  who  look  upon  him 
as  too  extreme  a  radical.  But  his  services  to  the 
cause  of  popular  education  and  the  evident  sincerity 
of  his  patriotism  make  him  universally  esteemed. 

He  is  married,  and  when  congratulated  by  a  friend 
on  the  birth  of  a  son,  he  simply  replied,  "Yes,  I 
am  fortunate,  but  after  all,  the  child  is  nothing  but 
a  poor  Asiatic."  His  love  of  learning  was  devel- 
oped at  an  early  age,  and  the  moment  he  became 
impressed  with  the  low  condition  of  .moral  and  intel- 
lectual culture  in  Japan,  he  was  fired  with  a  strong 
desire  to  do  all  in  his  power  to  elevate  his  country- 
men, and  has  filled  his  self-appropriated  mission  with 
a  success  that  is  quite  unprecedented  in  the  annals 
of  the  East.  It  is  now  about  eighteen  years  since 
he  entered  upon  the  life  of  a  schoolmaster  in  Yedo ; 
his  school  has  been  what  we  in  America  would  call 
a  boarding  school.  In  it  are  represented  all  the 
provinces  of  Japan,  and  while  his  present  number 
of  pupils  is  from  three  to  four  hundred,  the  children 
whom  he  has  educated  can  be  counted  by  the  thou- 
sand. Notwithstanding  his  constant  and  arduous 
labors  as  a  teacher,  he  has  found  time  to  translate 
from  English  into  Japanese  a  considerable  number 
of  valuable  books,  which  have  been  published  and 
had  a  wide  circulation.  He  has  always  been  averse 
to  holding  public  office,  and  all   that   he  has  done 


46  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

has  been  done  as  a  private  citizen.  With  regard 
to  the  letter  which  follows,  we  have  this  explanation 
to  make  :  The  author  had  been  upon  a  visit  to  his 
native  place,  and  while  enjoying  the  scenes  of  his 
boyhood,  and  talking  with  the  friends  of  early  days, 
he  resolved  to  send  to  the  latter  a  communication 
in  regard  to  their  condition  and  future  welfare.  His 
motives  and  the  manner  in  which  he  carried  out 
his  purpose  were  fully  appreciated  by  his  old  friends. 
They  had  the  letter  printed  in  Yedo,  in  pamphlet 
form,  and  proceeded  to  give  it  the  widest  circulation. 
For  writing  such  a  paper  fifteen  years  ago  he  would 
probably  have  lost  his  life  ;  but  now  he  is  universally 
applauded,  not  only  for  his  courage,  but  for  his  wisdom 
and  sincerity,  and  to  all  human  appearances  he  prom- 
ises to  become  one  of  the  greatest  benefactors  of 
his  race.  The  letter  in  question  is  sufficiently  inter- 
esting on  account  of  its  merits  alone,  but  what 
gives  it  importance  is  the  fact  that  it  comes  from 
a  native  of  Japan,  and  was  v/ritten  in  the  year  1872. 

The  letter  is  as  follows  : 

"  Man,  in  common  with  the  brutes,  is  gifted  with 
the  senses  of  feeling,  sight,  hearing,  smell,  and  taste, 
but  is  the  only  one  of  created  beings  who  has  a  spirit 
or  mind.  It  is  this  which  makes  him  a  human  being, 
gives  him  power  to  conduct  himself  according  to 
nature,  and  by  which  he  is  enabled  to  obtain  knowl- 
edge, and  learns  how  to  provide  for  the  wants  and 
comforts  of  life,  and  treat  his  fellowmen  with  con- 
sideration. But  more  than  this,  it  is  a  peculiar  char- 
acteristic of  human  beings  that  they  have  the  ability 
to  secure  liberty  of  mind  and  of  actions.  In  this 
particular,  from  the  most  ancient  times,  the  Chinese 
and  Japanese  have  been  ignorant.  Liberty  or  free- 
dom is  not  self-will  —  it  is  the  power  with  which  we 


FUKUZAWA   YOUKICHI.  47 

do  all  we  choose,  without  obstruction  from  others. 
It  is  right  that  the  father  and  child,  the  master  and 
retainer,  and  the  husband  and  wife  should  all  have 
this  liberty  —  none  of  them  to  be  interfered  with 
in  their  proper  desires.  Men  were  not  created  with 
the  blight  of  evil  in  them,  and  they  are  not  led 
astray  by  nature.  When  they  do  things  that  are 
wrong  against  their  fellow-beings,  they  offend  both 
nature  and  heaven.  Small  offences  deserve  to  be 
despised,  but  large  ones  ought  always  to  be  punished, 
and  this  without  any  regard  to  the  position  of  the 
offender  —  whether  a  nobleman  or  a  peasant,  an  old 
or  a  young  man. 

"  The  liberty  of  which  I  have  spoken  is  of  such  great 
importance,  that  everything  should  be  done  to  secure 
its  blessings  in  the  family  and  the  nation  without  any 
respect  to  persons.  When  every  individual,  every 
family,  and  every  province,  shall  obtain  this  liberty, 
then,  and  not  till  then,  can  we  expect  to  witness  the 
true  independence  of  the  nation  ;  then  the  military, 
the  farming,  the  mechanical  and  the  mercantile  classes 
will  not  live  in  hostility  to  each  other ;  then  peace 
will  reign  throughout  the  land,  and  all  men  will  be 
respected  according  to  their  conduct  or  real  char- 
acter. 

"  All  the  human  family  came  from  one  pair  —  a  man 
and  a  woman  —  who  were  created  by  heaven ;  then 
came  the  conditions  of  parents  and  children,  of 
brothers  and  sisters,  which  are  to  continue  through 
all  time.  Heaven  made  no  difference  between  man 
and  woman  in  regard  to  freedom,  but  intended  them 
to  be  equal.  In  looking  at  the  history  of  China  and 
Japan  from  the  earliest  times,  we  find  that  men  often 
had  several  wives,  whom  they  treated  like  slaves  or 
criminals,  and   the  husbands  were   not   ashamed  of 


48  LEADING   MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

their  conduct.  Was  not  this  wicked  on  the  part  of 
the  men,  and  most  pitiful  for  the  women.?  When 
men  thus  treat  their  wives,  the  example  has  an  evil 
effect  upon  the  children,  and  they  do  not  treat  their 
mothers  with  respect,  nor  listen  to  their  instructions. 
When  this  is  the  case  the  mother  is  only  a  nominal 
mother,  and  the  children  are  no  better  off  than 
orphans,  and  their  condition  most  unhappy.  And 
when  we  know  that  the  fathers  are  seldom  at  home, 
but  away  attending  to  business,  who  is  there  to 
instruct  the  children  ? 

"The  famous  Confucius  in  his  analects  says  that 
there  should  be  one  husband  and  one  wife ;  and  while 
the  modern  Chinese  and  Japanese  believe  this  to  be 
right,  they  do  not  always  act  upon  his  advice.  Most 
certainly  there  should  only  be  one  jDair,  and  between 
the  husband  and  wife  there  should  always  be  true 
friendship  and  courtesy.  When  they  treat  each 
other  as  strangers  or  without  due  regard,  it  is  impos- 
sible that  domestic  life  should  be  happy.  When  men 
have  a  plurality  of  wives,  the  children,  as  a  whole, 
have  one  father  and  several  mothers  ;  and  the  laws  of 
Confucius  as  well  as  of  nature  are  disobeyed.  If  it  is 
right  for  one  man  to  have  several  wives,  then  why 
not  allow  one  woman  to  have  several  husbands }  I 
would  ask  any  candid  man  how  he  would  like  to  be 
treated  by  a  woman  as  many  husbands  now  treat  their 
wives  }  But  in  another  of  his  works  Confucius  tells 
us  that  in  his  time,  it  was  common  for  men  to 
exchange  their  wives,  according  to  caprice,  and  he 
expressed  his  great  sorrow  on  account  of  the  bad 
customs  of  his  time.  He  was  a  great  philosopher, 
but  I  do  not  find  that  he  condemned  the  particular 
custom  alluded  to,  and  hence  I  cannot  but  think  that 
he  was  an  insincere  man,  or  has  contradicted  himself 


FUKUZAWA   YOUKICHI.  49 

in  his  writings.  He  is  sometimes  a  difficult  writer  to 
understand,  and  cannot  always  be  well  understood 
without  the  help  of  Chinese  scholars. 

"  Let  me  now  speak  of  the  children.  It  is  their 
duty  to  be  good  and  obedient  to  their  parents.  The 
Government  is  always  ready  to  help  those  who  treat 
their  parents  kindly,  but  the  children  must  never  do 
this  from  interested  or  sinister  motives.  As  is  well 
known,  the  custom  prevails  that  because  the  mother 
carries  her  child  for  three  years  in  her  arms,  so  the 
child  should  mourn  for  three  years  after  the  death  of 
its  mother  as  well  as  its  father.  But  this  is  all 
wrong ;  it  is  against  nature,  and  looks  too  much  like 
a  business  transaction.  It  is  well  known,  also,  that 
children  are  always  punished  for  disobedience  to 
parents,  but  parents  are  not  punished  when  they  treat 
their  children  with  unkindness.  This  is  not  right, 
and  there  is  no  reason  for  this  inequality  or  distinc- 
tion. It  is  wrong  for  parents  to  look  upon  their  chil- 
dren as  they  do  upon  their  furniture — which  they 
may  have  made  themselves  or  can  buy  with  money  — 
for  those  children  are  each  a  gift  from  heaven,  and 
should  be  highly  valued  for  that  reason  alone.  Un- 
til they  reach  the  age  of  ten  years,  they  should  be 
instructed  by  their  parents  in  all  useful  things  — 
with  parental  love  should  be  directed  in  the  good  way. 
When  old  enough  to  attend  school  they  should  be 
sent  to  those  appropriate  to  their  station,  and  they 
should  strive  to  become  useful  members  of  society. 
All  these  things  should  be  done  by  parents,  as  a 
return  to  heaven  for  blessing  them  with  children. 
(Here  the  line  of  argument  is  leveled  at  some  of  the 
ancient  customs  of  Japan.  For  example,  it  was  for- 
merly the  case,  that  parents  might  even  destroy  their 
children  without  being  punished  under  the  law ;  but 


50  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

if  children  killed  their  parents,  then  the  offenders 
were  severely  punished  ;  and  instances  are  recorded 
where  children  have  been  torn  to  pieces  by  wild 
beasts  for  having  taken  the  lives  of  their  parents.) 

"When  children  have  reached  the  age  of  twenty 
years,  then  they  are  called  men  or  women  :  are  free 
to  act  for  themselves ;  must  obtain  their  own  support ; 
are  no  more  subject  to  the  orders  of  their  parents,  and 
are  at  liberty  to  do  as  they  please  in  all  things.  But 
they  must  not  forget  in  their  subsequent  lives  to  be 
kind  to  their  parents,  and  always  to  help  them  when 
necessary.  It  is  written  in  the  books  of  enlightened 
nations,  that  when  children  have  reached  the  age  of 
maturity,  the  parents  may  advise,  but  never  command 
them ;  and  this  is  a  golden  custom  which  should  last 
into  eternity. 

"  The  way  to  bring  up  children  is  not  only  to  teach 
them  how  to  read  and  write,  but  they  should  be  made 
familiar  with  the  right  way  in  everything  under  the 
influence  of  good  example.  If  parents  are  wicked, 
mean  or  vulgar,  the  children  are  apt  to  be  like  them  ; 
example  is  far  more  telling  than  words,  both  for  good 
and  evil.  If  parents  are  bad,  how  can  they  expect 
their  children  to  be  good  ?  This  is  far  worse  for  the 
children  than  if  they  were  left  orphans.  Some  j^ar- 
ents  love  and  treat  their  children  well  as  far  as  they 
know,  but  from  ignorance  often  force  them  to  do  things 
that  are  not  for  the  best.  Such  parents  are  crimi- 
nals and  opposed  to  the  wisdom  of  heaven.  Without 
meaning  to  do  so,  they  degrade  their  children  to  the 
level  of  the  brutes.  To  love  in  a  proper  way  should 
be  their  ruling  idea.  There  are  no  parents  in  the 
world  who  do  not  feel  an  interest  in  the  behalf  of 
their  children,  and  yet,  to  be  degraded  in  mind,  is 
worse  than  to  be  without  health.     The  love  of  which 


FUKUZAWA   YOUKICHI.  5 1 

I  speak,  which  only  lcx)ks  after  the  body,  is  what  I 
would  call  maternal,  or  merely  animal  love.  As  hu- 
man faces  differ  in  appearance,  so  is  it  with  human 
hearts;  but  the  aims  of  the  truest  love  should  be 
exalted. 

"  One  of  the  peculiar  facts  connected  with  civiliza- 
tion is,  that  as  it  advances,  bad  people  become  more 
abundant ;  then  it  is  that  men  have  trouble  in  taking 
care  of  their  property  and  persons ;  then  comes  the 
idea  that  the  people  must  have  representatives,  whose 
business  will  be  to  form  a  substantial  government, 
make  laws,  punish  the  wicked,  and  help  those  who 
need  help  in  every  way.  If  the  people,  in  the  aggre- 
gate, were  always  good,  then  there  would  not  be  any 
necessity  of  organized  government.  The  head  of  a 
government  is  its  ruler,  and  the  people  who  keep  him 
are  officers.  Such  a  government  is  indispensable  for 
the  prosperity  of  a  people  and  for  national  defence.* 
There  are  many  kinds  of  business,  as  you  know,  but 
the  business  of  governing  the  people  is  the  most  diffi- 
cult and  important.  The  dutiful  and  attentive,  in 
every  sphere  of  life,  ought  always  to  be  rewarded 
according  to  the  justice  of  heaven.  The  people  who 
live  under  a  good  government  should  not  be  envious 
f  the  officers  who  receive  large  salaries,  for  gener- 
lUy  speaking,  such  men  earn  by  hard  work  all  they 
receive.  They  should  be  respected.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  rulers  and  officials  must  not  forget  the 
duties  they  owe  to  the  people  ;  their  work  should  not 
be  out  of  proportion  to  their  pay ;  the  same  justice 
should  prevail  between  the  officials  and  the  people, 
which  prevails  between  the  master  and  servant. 

"  All  this  is  merely  a  summary  of  my  ideas  of 
human  society,  and  on  a  few  pages  of  paper  it  is  quite 
impossible  to  enter  more  fully  into  so  important  a 


52  LEADING   MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

subject.  To  become  well  informed  upon  it,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  read  books  ;  not  only  those  of  Japan,  but  those 
of  China,  India  and  all  the  western  nations.  In  these 
days  there  are  many  Japanese  scholars  who  are  well 
informed  in  the  literature  of  foreign  nations ;  but  it  is 
said  that  they  quarrel  among  themselves.  Such  con- 
duct is  foolish  and  wicked,  and  does  great  harm.  Schol- 
ars have  something  more  to  do  than  merely  to  read 
and  write,  which  accomplishments  are  not  difficult  to 
acquire,  and  so  it  is  most  unwise  for  them  to  spend 
their  time  in  literary  and  scientific  squabbles.  If  our 
scholars  continue  to  do  this,  they  will  remain  just 
as  ignorant  of  foreign  nations  as  are  the  Chinese. 
Long  arguments  will  do  well  enough  after  we  have 
become  informed  in  regard  to  other  nations.  We 
should  apply  our  mental  powers  to  acquiring  all  we 
can  through  the  English,  French  and  German  lan- 
guages as  well  as  the  Chinese.  If  one  man  is  partial 
to  one  language,  that  is  no  reason  that  he  should 
insult  those  who  prefer  another  language.  But  after 
all,  the  first  thing  for  us  to  study  is  the  present  condi- 
tion of  our  country;  learn  what  is  good  and  what  is 
bad,  so  that  we  may  act  accordingly.  It  were  better 
for  us  to  stop  quarrelling  about  the  goodness  of  dif- 
ferent literatures,  and  devote  more  attention  to  the 
interests  of  our  nation.  Since  our  country  was  first 
opened  to  foreign  commerce,  many  unworthy  foreign- 
ers have  been  found  in  the  open  ports  who  endeavor 
to  impoverish  and  keep  ignorant  our  people,  and  all 
for  their  own  selfish  advantage.  The  trouble  is,  that 
foreign  nations  are  judged  by  our  scholars  by  their 
bad  specimens ;  and  for  that  reason  our  people  are 
too  often  unwilling  to  receive  the  good  inventions 
from  abroad.  The  unworthy  men  alluded  to  fear  and 
try  to  put  down  the  literature  of  western  nations,  for 


FUKUZAWA    VOUKICHI.  53 

fear  that  its  influences  will  stop  their  enterprises. 
When  we  are  able  to  read  the  books  of  the  different 
nations  of  the  world,  and  become  acquainted  with  its 
real  condition  and  with  international  law,  then  we 
shall  be  able  to  preserve  our  virtues  and  protect  our 
liberties  ;  and  thus  solidify  and  make  our  nation  per- 
manent, until  the  time  comes  when  we  shall  be  called 
the  Great  Empire  of  Japan.  In  my  opinion  there 
ought  to  be  no  delay  in  our  becoming  well  acquainted 
with  the  literature  of  foreign  nations,  and  especially 
with  that  of  the  western  nations. 

"To  my  old  friends  in  my  native  place  do  I  send 
these  words.  I  hope  you  will  be  spared  to  act  upon 
the  advice  I  have  given  you.  From  this  day  forth  I 
hope  your  eyes  will  be  opened  to  see  that  my  words 
are  true ;  that  you  will  earn  your  support  by  systematic 
industry,  refrain  from  interfering  with  the  liberties  of 
your  fellow  citizens,  be  strong  in  intellect,  and  put 
away  all  low  and  unworthy  thoughts  and  pursuits,  for 
in  that  way  alone  can  you  secure  the  welfare  of  your 
families  and  of  the  nation.  Who  would  not  think,  as 
I  do,  of  his  native  place,  and  wish  for  the  best  happi- 
ness of  old  friends }  May  what  I  have  said  not  be 
forgotten  by  you  in  future  years  ! 

''  Y.    FuKUZAWA." 

The  following  extract  from  a  lecture  by  Mr.  Fuku- 
zawa,  will  give  the  reader  another  phase  of  his  remark- 
able mind  : 

"  Our  principal  aim  at  present  ought  to  be  the 
increase  of  our  national  power.  Let  us  accumulate 
wealth.  Let  us  strengthen  our  military  forces.  Let 
us  encourage  education  and  the  publication  of  useful 
books.  All  these  are  the  means  to  make  us  strong  at 
home  and  respected  abroad,  and  when  we  have  become 


54  LEADING    MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

conscious  of  our  national  strength,  then  it  will  be  time 
to  manifest  that  consciousness  in  our  relations  with  the 
foreigner.  Since  our  country  was  opened,  the  igno- 
rance of  our  people  in  all  that  concern  foreign  coun- 
tries has  been  a  constant  stumbling-block  ;  but  on  the 
other  hand,  foreigners  are  just  as  ignorant  of  our 
country  as  we  are  of  theirs.  However,  during  the 
last  twenty  years  our  countrymen  have  been  working 
hard  to  make  themselves  acquainted  with  foreign 
commerce,  literature,  military  systems  and  law. 

"  Our  principal  men  have,  with  the  object  of 
promoting  our  own  progress,  constantly  studied  the 
civilization  of  the  western  countries,  and,  after  mature 
consideration,  have  introduced  into  this  country  what 
met  their  approbation,  and  this  work  they  are  still 
pursuing.  It  may,  therefore,  safely  be  asserted  that 
the  Japanese  are  better  acquainted  with  foreign  coun- 
tries than  foreigners  are  with  Japan.  If  we,  for 
instance,  compare  the  number  of  Japanese  who  are 
able  to  read  and  speak  foreign  languages,  with  the 
number  who  can  read  and  speak  Japanese,  then  we 
shall  find  that  the  former  is  many  times  larger  than 
the  latter.  Englishmen  and  Americans  who  enjoy 
the  advantage  that  their  language  is  very  widely 
spread  over  the  world  and  spoken  everywhere,  do  not 
trouble  themselves  to  learn  foreign  languages,  and 
very  naturally  so.  But  if  they  do  not  know  the  lan- 
guage of  a  country  it  is  impossible  for  them  to  know 
the  manners  and  customs  of  that  country.  But  this 
ignorance  of  our  affairs  is  no  slight  drawback  in  our 
intercourse  with  foreigners.  During  the  last  twenty 
years  only  a  few  resident  foreigners  have  associated 
with  our  countrymen,  read  our  books,  and  studied  our 
national  customs  and  manners,  with  the  exception, 
that  is,  of  a  few  individuals.     The  rest  who  are  gener- 


FUKUZAWA    YOUKICHI.  55 

ally  considered  to  know  something  of  Japan  have  only 
a  crotchety  idea  of  Japan  and  its  people. 

"  The  Christian  missionaries  look  upon  our  people 
as  savages  without  religion,  and  are  intent  upon  con- 
verting them  without  considering  what  are  the  morals 
of  our  educated  classes.  The  professors  of  jurispru- 
dence, without  acquainting  themselves  with  our  man- 
ners and  national  customs,  demand  that  the  law  of 
the  land  be  noised  at  once.  Whether  it  be  religion, 
jurisprudence,  literature,  or  military  system,  the 
foreigner  knows  only  what  is  used  in  his  own  coun- 
try, and  seeing  only  that  side  of  the  matter  he  tries  to 
graft  it  upon  this  country  of  which  he  knows  nothing, 
and  if  he  fails  in  his  attempt  then  he  is  apt  to  throw 
the  blame  on  the  people  of  this  country  whom  he  calls 
both  ignorant  and  savage.  How  shallow !  And  if 
this  occurs  with  those  who  are  old  residents  in  our 
country,  then  we  can  easily  imagine  what  the  foreign- 
ers living  at  home  in  their  own  country  think  of  us. 
Not  only  are  they  ignorant  of  our  morals,  art  and 
industry,  but  many  of  them  do  not  even  know  in  what 
part  of  Asia  Japan  is  situated,  and  whether  she  is  an 
independent  country  or  not.  Looking  at  the  map 
they  may  think  Japan  a  part  of  the  Chinese  Empire 
to  which  it  is  next  neighbor.  Our  learned  men  are  in 
the  habit  of  blaming  our  countrymen  for  their  igno- 
rance of  foreign  countries,  and  profess  to  be  much 
grieved  at  it.  I,  on  the  contrary,  feel  aggrieved  at 
the  foreigner's  ignorance  of  Japan. 

"  It  is  a  common  trait  of  human  nature  to  despise 
what  one  does  not  know,  and  this  was  the  reason  why 
the  Japanese,  until  quite  recently,  looked  down  upon 
foreigners  as  barbarians.  But  the  foreigners  are  just 
as  the  Japanese  were  formerly.  They  do  not  know 
what   to  them  is  a  foreign  country,  namely,  Japan. 


56  LEADINC;    MliN    OF    JAPAN. 

They  are  still  more  ignorant  of  our  affairs,  and  there- 
fore they  look  down  upon  us  with  still  greater  scorn. 
And  now  those  living  at  home  and  having  no  contact 
with  Japan  :  how  do  you  think  that  they  estimate  our 
country  ?  But  when  the  general  opinion  is  tainted  by 
such  ignorance  and  finds  expression  in  public  acts 
and  measures,  our  foreign  intercourse  becomes  sadly 
hampered. 

"  It  is,  therefore,  of  the  utmost  importance,  at  pres- 
ent, that  we  show  foreigners  what  our  country  and 
our  people  really  are.  I  do  not  mean  that  we  should 
boast  and  brag  before  foreigners,  telling  them  that 
Japan  is  the  most  powerful  and  richest  country  upon 
the  surface  of  the  globe.  Civilization  consists  o£ 
many  and  various  elements.  There  may  be  some- 
thing in  our  civilization  that  excels  every  other  thing 
in  the  world,  and  in  other  respects  we  may  be  infe- 
rior to  other  people.  Leaving  aside  the  question  of 
who  is  in  the  van  and  who  is  in  the  rear,  I  want 
that  we  shall  show  ourselves  to  the  world  as  we 
really  are.  As  for  the  manner  how  to  accomplish 
this,  it  is  not  to  wait  until  the  time  shall  have  come 
when  foreigners  shall  have  learned  to  speak  the  Jap- 
anese language  and  read  Japanese  books  ;  it  is  for 
our  countrymen  to  write  and  publish  books  in  foreign 
languages,  and  to  publish  newspapers  in  foreign  lan- 
guages. This,  however,  cannot  be  done  yet ;  and 
if  we  search  for  other  means,  then  the  most  power- 
ful is  to  exhibit  to  foreigners  what  our  countrymen 
are  able  to  do.  As  the  adage  says  :  '  One  learns 
more  from  one  look  at  a  thing  than  from  a  hundred 
tales  about  it.'  Therefore  it  is  a  most  appropriate 
means  to  take  part  in  foreign  exhibitions,  and  such 
expeditions  as  those  of  the  Seiki  Kuwan  and  the 
Tsukuba  Kuwan,  which  were  fitted  out  by  the  navy 


FUKUZAWA    VOUKICHI.  57 

department  in  January,  1878,  have  also  a  remarkable 
effect. 

*'  It  is"  only  in  the  last  twenty  years  that  our  coun- 
trymen have  learned  the  art  of  navigating  the  high 
seas,  and  now  we  have  with  our  hands  built  ships, 
fitted  them  out,  and  navigated  them  to  places  which 
the  Japanese  had  never  seen  before,  and  where  the 
people  had  never  before  seen  Japanese.  It  is,  there- 
fore, not  surprising  that  we  have  excited  their  won- 
der, and  I  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that  the  voyages 
of  these  two  men-of-war  have  greatly  increased  the 
respect  for  Japan.  Although  it  is  within  the  last 
twenty  years  that  we  have  learned  the  art  of  navi- 
gation, it  is  neither  within  the  last  twenty  years, 
nor  within  the  last  two  hundred  years  that  we  trained 
our  intellect  so  as  to  enable  us  to  learn  such  an  art. 
That  is  a  characteristic  of  Japanese  civilization  that 
dates  back  hundreds  and  thousands  of  years,  and 
for  which  we  ought  to  thank  our  ancestors.  We 
have  never  been  backward  or  wanting  in  civiliza- 
tion. What  we  wanted  was  only  to  change  the  out- 
ward manifestation  according  to  the  time. 

*'  Not  only  in  navigation  but  in  every  other  branch, 
however  trifling,  let  us  imitate  such  elements  of  Eu- 
ropean civilization  as  are  useful,  and  leave  alone  what 
is  useless.  In  so  doing  we  shall  fortify  our  national 
condition.  On  the  great  theatre  of  the  world  we 
will  show  before  the  eyes  of  all  what  we  can  do,  and 
enter  into  competition  with  other  nations  in  art  and 
science.  Thus  shall  we  make  our  country  independ- 
ent and  powerful,  and  that  is  my  ardent  desire." 

We  also  submit  the  following  suggestive  passages 
from  a  lecture  recently  delivered  by  this  well-known 
scholar  on  the  subject  of  the  intricacies  of  intercourse 
between  Japan  and  the  nations  of  the  West : 


58  LEADING   MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

"  Our  foreign  relations  have  of  late  been  much  and 
warmly  discussed  in  public.  Some  want  to  permit  the 
foreigners  to  reside  in  the  interior,  while  others  want 
to  introduce  foreign  capital,  and  for  that  purpose  asso- 
ciate foreigners  with  natives  in  industrial  enterprises. 
The  discussion  of  the  advantages  and  disadvantages 
of  these  different  schemes  has  grown  hot  among 
the  newspapers,  and  we  will  leave  the  same  to  them  ; 
as  for  ourselves,  we  will  just  throw  a  glance  over 
our  foreign  relations.  The  public  writers  always 
occupy  themselves  with  reason  only,  and  leave  hu- 
man passions  entirely  out  of  sight.  If  the  affairs 
of  this  world  could  be  governed  by  reason  alone, 
then  there  would  be  small  trouble  indeed,  and  every- 
body could  go  to  sleep  in  peace ;  but  are  the  affairs 
of  the  world  so  governed  ?  Can  we  depend  upon 
laws  and  treaties  ?  Is  this  world  really  a  place  where 
reason  reigns  supreme.?  We  will  not  answer  these 
questions.  Looked  at  from  the  point  of  reason  our 
foreign  relations  are  based  upon  the  treaties  of  friend- 
ship and  peace,  concluded  between  our  country  and 
foreign  countries,  and  according  to  the  treaties,  our 
foreign  relations  give  no  cause  for  fear  or  noisy  dis- 
cussion. Let  us  see,  for  instance,  what  the  treaty 
between  Japan  and  Great  Britain  says  : 

Her  Majesty  the  Queen  of  the  United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain 
and  Ireland,  and  His  Majesty  the  Tycoon  of  Japan,  being  desirous 
to  place  the  relations  between  the  two  countries  on  a  permanent  and 
friendly  fooling,  and  to  facilitate  commercial  intercourse  between  their 
resijcctive  subjects,  and  having  for  that  purpose  resolved  to  enter  into 
a  treaty  of  ]5eacc,  amity,  and  commerce,  etc. 

Art.  I.  There  shall  be  perpetual  peace  and  friendship  between  Her 
Majesty  the  Queen  of  the  United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and 
Ireland,  her  heirs  and  successors,  and  His  Majesty  the  Tycoon  of 
Japan,  and  between  their  respective  dominions  and  subjects. 

"The  above   treaty  is  founded  on  reason,  and  is 


FUKUZAWA    YOUKICHI.  59 

a  very  excellent  one,  and  calculated  to  promote 
peace  and  friendship  between  the  subjects  of  the 
two  countries.  As  a  document  it  is  perfect,  but  if 
we  come  to  examine  its  fruits,  then  things  wear  a 
different  look,  and  we  are  quite  disappointed.  By 
quoting  some  of  the  most  remarkable  events  that 
have  occurred  we  shall  now  prove  to  you  that  treaties 
are  not  to  be  relied  on  at  all.  When  in  the  year 
1862  Prince  Shimadzu  of  Satsuma  was  travelling 
along  the  Tokaido,  an  Englishman  named  Richard- 
son broke  in  upon  the  Prince's  procession,  whereupon 
the  Prince's  vanguard^  killed  the  Englishman  on  the 
spot.  For  several  centuries  it  has  been  both  custom 
and  law  in  Japan  that  it  is  lawful  to  kill  whosoever 
breaks  in  upon  a  Daimio's  procession ;  the  said  English- 
man, being  ignorant  of  the  laws  and  customs  of  Japan, 
in  a  manner  killed  himself  by  riding  on  horseback 
into  the  Prince  Shimadzu' s  procession.  There  was 
therefore  no  cause  for  complaint.  Nevertheless  the 
British  Government  took  up  the  matter,  and  in  March 
the  following  year  it  despatched  some  men-of-war 
by  way  of  threat  against  our  Government,  and  wrote 
a  very  harsh  letter,  in  which  it  demanded  a  fine  of  one 
hundred  thousand  pounds,  and  the  execution  of  the 
persons  who  committed  the  deed  ;  and  from  the  Prince 
of  Satsuma  twenty-five  thousand  pounds  as  compen- 
sation to  the  family  of  the  man  who  had  been  killed. 
The  Government  were  very  much  exercised  about 
this  matter,  and  in  May  the  same  year  it  paid  the 
fine.  About  the  same  time  the  Shimonoseki  affair 
took  place.  This  event  happened  in  the .  following 
manner :  At  that  time  the  desire  of  expelling  the 
foreigners  was  very  intense  and  very  general.  Fore- 
most among  that  party  was  Mori,  the  Prince  of  Cho- 
shiu ;   and  he  issued  an  order  that  any  foreign  ship. 


60  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

whether  man-of  war  or  merchant  vessel,  that  passed 
Shimonoseki  should  be  fired  upon.  The  Bakufu  Gov- 
ernment became  in  consequence  extremely  anxious, 
and  earnestly  besought  the  foreigners  not  to  navi- 
gate the  Inland  Sea  for  some  time,  stating  frankly 
as  their  reason  that,  as  the  people  were  greatly 
excited,  it  was  impossible  to  foresee  whether  foreign 
vessels  would  not  be  fired  upon,  which  would  be 
in  contravention  of  the  recently  concluded  treaties 
and  entirely  contrary  to  the  intentions  of  the  Bakufu 
government.  But  the  foreigners  never  heeded  the 
warning,  and  they  went  on  purpose  through  Shimo- 
noseki Straits,  and  thus  provoked  the  fire  from  Prince 
Mori's  guns.  Then  the  foreigners  sent  some  men- 
of-war  and  stormed  and  demolished  the  forts  there, 
and  the  four  powers,  Great  Britain,  France,  Holland, 
and  the  United  States,  claimed  payment  of  two 
million  dollars  as  the  Shimonoseki  indemnity.  It 
is  beyond  doubt  that  the  amount  of  this  indemnity 
was  fixed  quite  at  random  and  not  fairly  estimated. 
The  foreigners  were  at  that  time  by  no  means  igno- 
rant of  our  domestic  troubles  ;  on  the  contrary  they 
knew  them  perfectly  well,  and  took  advantage  of 
them  to  make  harsh  demands  upon  us,  and  extract 
an  indemnity  from  us,  just  as  if  a  person  should  take 
advantage  of  a  fire  having  broken  out  in  another 
man's  house,  or  of  a  man  lying  sick  in  bed,  to  make 
extortionate  demands  upon  him.  Is  this  the  peace 
and  amity  heralded  by  the  treaty.?  When  the 
Bakufu  were  beset  with  difficulties,  and  the  whole 
country  was  in  a  turmoil,  then  the  foreigners,  con- 
trary to  treaty  stipulations,  sold  arms  and  ammu- 
nition to  the  Daimios  who  were  in  rebellion  against 
the  Bakufu,  which  was  then  the  lawful  govern- 
ment of  Japan,  and  thus  they  helped  indirectly  to 


FUKUZAWA  TOUKICHI.  6 1 

destroy  the  latter.  Is  this  also  peace  and  amity? 
"  Since  the  fall  of  the  Bakufu  up  to  the  present  time 
many  similar  instances  have  happened.  Foreigners 
are  permitted  to  travel  within  treaty  limits,  and  to 
shoot  at  certain  places  within  treaty  limits,  and  in 
consequence  Japanese  women  often  find  themselves 
insulted  by  foreigners,  and  the  farmers  must  see 
their  rice  and  vegetable  fields  damaged  by  foreigners. 
Our  policemen  are  greatly  troubled  by  such  acts, 
which  they,  with  all  their  diligence,  are  unable  to 
repress.  Again,  the  Christian  religion  was  from 
ancient  times  strictly  forbidden  in  our  country,  and 
notices  to  that  purpose  were  posted  everywhere ; 
but  since  the  Restoration  these  notices  have  been 
removed,  the  Government  considering  it  surperfluous  to 
keep  on  posting  such  notices,  which  are  already  firmly 
impressed  upon  the  minds  of  the  people.  We  shall 
not  here  enter  upon  a  discussion  of  the  merits  of 
that  religion,  but  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  when 
the  notices  were  removed  this  was  done  in  spite  of 
the  wish  of  the  majority  of  the  people.  What  was 
the  cause  then  of  removing  the  notices?  Ask  your 
own  conscience,  gentlemen,  and  it  will  tell  you  with- 
out any  aid  from  your  humble  lecturer.  And  the 
lawsuits  between  natives  and  foreigners !  Almost 
in  all  cases  the  plaintiffs  are  foreigners  :  not  more 
than  two  or  three  out  of  every  ten  natives  ;  because 
our  countrymen  do  not  sue  even  when  they  have 
cause  to  do  so,  but  rather  submit  in  patience ;  while 
the  foreigners  sue  without  cause,  and  without  doubt 
in  many  cases  gain  undue  advantages.  Such  is  the 
coal  mine  affair  of  Mr.  Goto,  whom  I  observe  present 
at  this  meeting.  Mr.  Goto  is  well  known  to  the 
public.  His  past  life  has  proved  him  to  be  a  strong 
and  steadfast  character  ;  he  was,  in  fact,  one  of  the 


62  LEADING    MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

founders  of  the  present  Government.  Even  he  has 
been  unable  to  avoid  being  sued  by  an  English 
merchant ;  what  may  others  then  expect  ?  Nor  do 
we  need  any  proof  that  our  merchants  suffer  losses 
from  the  foreigners.  But  the  cause  of  their  suffer- 
ings is  neither  in  the  treaties  nor  in  reason  ;  it  arises 
from  human  nature.  Treaty  stipulations  and  the 
precepts  of  reason  are  easily  learned  ;  what  is  diffi- 
cult to  know  is  the  human  heart,  and  it  is  therefore  a 
pity  to  see  how  eagerly  public  writers  discuss  about 
principles  and  leave  human  nature  and  its  practical 
workings  entirely  out  of  sight. 

"As  we  have  said  already,  foreign  relations  are 
governed,  not  by  reason,  iDut  by  passion ;  and  if  we 
want  to  discuss  them,  it  is  human  nature  and  its 
weaknesses  of  which  we  must  take  account,  other- 
wise our  discussion  will  be  vain  and  vapid.  If,  then, 
our  public  writers  consider  it  possible  to  admit  for- 
eigners freely  into  the  interior  and  control  them  by 
means  of  the  treaties,  then  there  is  no  necessity 
for  revising  our  treaties ;  but  we  want  to  see  the 
proof  that  we  have  not  suffered  from  the  prac- 
tical working  of  our  present  treaties.  Unless  it 
can  be  shown  that  the  treaties  have  hitherto  been 
carried  out  according  to  reason,  and  borne  the  fruit 
they  professed  to  bear,  we  do  not  believe  that  any 
amount  of  revision  of  treaties  will  make  any  palpable 
difference.  The  present  plain  treaties  have  proved 
barren,  and  however  much  they  might  be  improved 
through  revision,  it  would  still  be  the  same.  If  therefore 
you,  the  public,  are  so  anxious  to  have  the  existing 
treaties  revised,  show  me  at  least  what  good  has 
come  of  the  existing  treaties,  and  if  I  see  any  evi- 
dence of  it,  then  I  shall  gladly  submit  to  your  opin- 
ion. 


FUKUZAWA    YOUKICHI.  63 

In  speaking  of  this  noted  scholar,  \he,  Japan  Weekly 
Mail  oi  November  26th,  1881,  uses  this  language  : 

"  One  of  the  greatest  names  in  Japan  at  present 
is  that  of  Fukuzawa  Youkichi,  who  for  many  years 
back  has  been  the  principal  of  a  large  school  known 
as  the  Keio  Giguku,  in  Mita  Tokiyo.  It  is  believed, 
and  not  without  justice,  that  his  efforts  have  done 
more  towards  the  growth  of  Western  civilization  in 
Japan,  than  those  of  any  other  man,  and  it  is  also 
held  by  some  whose  exaggeration  may  well  be  par- 
doned, that  his  influence  for  good  or  evil  might  at 
my  moment  be  turned  into  an  uncontrollable  factor." 
.\nd  then  the  same  writer  goes  on  to  tell  us  that 
Mr.  Fukuzawa's  last  publication  is  entitled  Co7n- 
plaints  of  the  Time,  and  treats  quite  fully  and  with 
great  ability  the  following  questions,  viz.,  "  National 
Security  and  International  Competition,"  "The  Power 
of  the  Government  and  National  Assemblies,"  "  Na- 
tional Strength,"  and  "Finance  and  the  Develop- 
ment of  the  People's  Energy." 


GENPAKU   SUJITA. 

AS  one  of  the  pioneers  whose  labors  in  the  early 
part  of  the  present  century  led  to  the  present 
condition  of  Japan,  this  man  deserves  special  mention 
in  this  volume.  He  was  the  physician  to  the  Prince 
of  Obama,  and  lived  at  Nagasaki.  Having  become 
convinced  that  the  surgical  writings  of  the  Japanese 
were  very  deficient,  and  been  attracted  by  a  certain 
book  written  in  the  Dutch  language,  he  went  to  work 
for  the  purpose  of  producing  a  translation.  He  did 
not  have  even  an  elementary  knowledge  of  the  Dutch 
language,  but  this  fact  did  not  alarm  him.  He 
studied  very  hard,  and  it  is  said  often  spent  a  whole 
day  in  translating  a  single  phrase.  Some  of  his 
friends  laughed  at  him  and  said  he  was  trying  to 
do  what  was  impossible,  but  he  said,  *'  It  is  possible 
for  a  man  to  do  this  work ;  but  he  must  have  the  help 
of  Heaven." 

At  the  end  of  four  years  his  remarkable  feat  was 
accomplished,  and  the  work  on  Analytical  Anatomy 
was  engraved  and  published  in  the  Japanese  language. 
From  this  the  people  of  the  Empire  learned  that  it 
was  possible  to  translate  Dutch  books ;  also  much 
truth  respecting  the  human  frame;  and  that  the 
energy  and  perseverance  of  their  countryman,  Gen- 
paku,  was  most  remarkable,  and  a  blessing  to  his 
country.  It  should  be  added,  however,  that  Genpaku 
was  greatly  assisted   by  a  number  of  friends,  who 

64 


GENPAKU    SUJITA.  6$ 


were  fired  with  the  same  ambition  as  himself,  and 
they  formed  themselves  into  a  society  or  league  for 
the  accomplishment  of  their  purpose,  and  the  names 
of  those  men  were  Hoshiu  Hosun,  Nakagawa  lunan. 
Mine  Shiunotai,  Toriyama  Shoyen,  and  Kiriyama 
Shotetsu,  the  whole  of  whom  are  honorably  remem- 
bered by  the  scholars  of  Japan. 


GOTO-SHO-JIRO. 

HE  was  born  in  the  province  of  Tosa,  and  was 
not  only  well  educated,  but  displayed  uncommon 
abilities  even  in  his  youth.  He  was  among  the  first 
to  take  part  in  the  movements  which  preceded  the 
Restoration,  and  he  became  a  Sanyo,  or  member  of  the 
Imperial  Council,  serving  with  such  men  as  the  elder 
Saigo  Kido  and  Okubo,  and  to  him  was  assigned  the 
duty  of  presenting  to  the  Emperor  a  series  of  articles 
bearing  upon  the  adoption  of  a  written  constitution. 
His  services  in  that  direction  were  duly  recognized  and 
rewarded,  but  he  resigned  in  1868.  He  also  served 
his  'country  with  credit  as  minister  of  the  Public 
Works  Department ;  and  while  a  member  of  the 
Imperial  Cabinet,  in  1 873,  he  could  not  agree  to  the 
proposition  of  making  peace  with  Corea,  and  resigned 
his  high  position  and  retired  to  private  life.  He 
continued,  however,  to  take  a  great  interest  in  public 
affairs,  and  probably  did  more  than  any  other  man  in 
the  Empire  to  acquaint  the  people  generally  with  the 
necessity  of  a  national  assembly  or  parliament.  When 
subsequently  the  Genro-in  or  Senate  was  organized, 
he  was  made  its  Vice  President;  but  in  1873  he 
again  resigned  and  returned  to  private  life.  He  next 
turned  his  attention  to  commercial  affairs,  and  was 
the  head  of  an  influential  firm  ;  but  he  soon  dissolved 
that  connection,  and  became  interested  in  the  coal 
mines  of  Takashima,  in  the  management  of  which  he 
is  understood  to  have  been  quite  successful. 

66 


HEIHACHIRO. 

FOR  the  following  narrative  we  are  indebted  to  the 
Japan  Mail  (as  we  are  for  many  of  the  facts 
recorded  in  this  volume),  and  as  the  adventures  of  the 
hero  bordered  on  the  romantic,  they  cannot  but 
prove  interesting  to  the  foreign  readers : 

"As  a  boy  Heihachird,  a  native  of  Osaka,  and  born 
in  1792,  was  remarkable  for  cleverness,  and  for  his 
fondness  for  literature,  fencing,  and  all  the  accom- 
plishments which  go  to  make  up  the  education  of  a 
samurai.  At  the  age  of  fourteen  or  fifteen  he  set  out 
for  Yedo,  having  received  permission  from  his  father, 
in  accordance  with  his  wishes,  to  complete  his  educa- 
tion in  that  city.  As  he  was  travelling  over  Sudzuka- 
yama  in  the  province  of  Is6,  a  pass  nearly  as  high  as 
that  of  Hakone  on  the  Tokaidd,  he  was  stopped  by 
two  robbers  of  great  stature,  who  came  up  and 
demanded  his  money,  threatening  to  kill  him  unless 
their  demand  was  complied  with.  Heihachiro,  not 
being  a  youth  easily  frightened  by  such  threats,  deter- 
mined not  to  yield  without  a  struggle,  and  clutching 
one  of  the  robbers,  succeeded  in  hurling  him  over  the 
precipice.  Drawing  his  sword  he  then  turned  on  the 
other,  who  was  also  armed,  and  they  fought  for  some 
time.  Finally  they  grappled,  and  Heihachird  managed 
to  disable  and  bind  his  antagonist.  He  then  said, 
'  Your  life  is  in  my  hands,  but  I  will  have  mercy  and 
spare  you  on  certain  conditions.      You  are  a  strong, 

67 


6^  LEADING    MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

able  man.  If  I  let  you  go  free  you  must  promise  me 
that  you  will  repent  and  lead  a  different  career.  Get 
your  living  by  honest  means,  as  you  are  quite  capable 
of  doing,  and  leave  your  present  degraded  mode  of 
life.'  The  fellow  promised,  and  Heihachir6  letting 
him  go  free,  proceeded  on  his  way  to  Yedo. 

"  On  his  arrival  there  he  became  a  student  of  the 
National  University,  and  resided  in  the  house  of 
Hayashi  Daikaku-no-Kami,  the  director  of  the  col- 
lege. For  a  period  of  five  years  he  pursued  his 
studies  with  untiring  diligence,  and  became  the  head 
student  of  the  University  and  Professor  of  Literature. 
He  was  then  compelled  to  return  to  Osaka  in  conse- 
quence of  the  illness  of  his  father,  who  died  very 
shortly  after  his  return,  and  Heihachir6  succeeded  to 
his  position  and  emoluments.  Takaye  Yamashiro-no- 
Kami,  the  then  Governor  of  Osaka,  hearing  of  the 
excellent  abilities  of  the  new  Yoriki,  appointed  him  to 
the  position  of  judge,  which  office  he  discharged  with 
great  honor.  In  those  days  the  judge  was  both  the 
judge  and  the  law,  for  legislation  being  then  in  its 
infancy,  cases  were  mostly  decided  at  the  will  of  the 
judges.  The  consequence  was  that  such  judgments 
were  mostly  given  as  partiality  might  dictate,  or 
bribes  could  buy,  and  the  grossest  injustice  and  cor- 
ruption prevailed. 

"  But  this  was  not  the  way  in  which  Heihachir6  dis- 
charged his  duties.  All  his  judgments  were  delivered 
in  a  straightforward  manner,  and  in  accordance  with 
strict  justice.  He  never  courted  the  favor  of  the 
powerful,  nor  played  into  the  hands  of  his  friends, 
neither  did  he  flatter  his  superiors  nor  despise  those 
beneath  him. 

"  His  chief  aim  was  to  promote  the  welfare  of  the 
people,  and  after  his  official  duties  were  discharged,  he 


HEIHACHIRO.  69 


occupied  his  leisure  in  teaching  a  number  of  pupils 
fencing  and  literature. 

"  As  he  had  now  arrived  at  the  age  of  thirty  and 
had  no  children,  he  adopted  a  pupil  of  his  named 
Nishida  Kakunosuke,  who  showed  signs  of  great 
talent.  Heihachiro  had  always  been  a  special  favorite 
with  the  Governor  of  Osaka,  Takaye,  who  had  long 
since  recognized  his  abilities,  and  on  many  occasions 
profited  by  his  advice.  Unfortunately  for  him,  his 
patron  was  recalled  to  Yedo,  and  his  place  was  filled 
by  another  Governor,  a  man  of  totally  different  char- 
acter, who  refused  to  listen  to  any  of  the  representa- 
tions which  Heihachiro  made  on  behalf  of  the  welfare 
of  the  people.  The  latter,  therefore,  finding  all  his 
endeavors  set  at  nought,  and  the  workings  of  justice 
interfered  with,  resigned  his  post,  settled  certain 
property  on  his  adopted  son,  and  retired  to  his  estates, 
where  he  devoted  his  time  entirely  to  the  education 
of  his  pupils. 

"  Now  in  those  days  a  terribly  selfish  and  oppressive 
spirit  prevailed  among  the  official  and  wealthy  mer- 
cantile classes,  and  it  had  always  been  Heihachiro's 
earnest  desire  to  bring  about  a  better  state  of  things 
and  alleviate  the  condition  of  the  people  at  large. 
The  crops  had  for  several  years  past  been  very  bad, 
and  the  consequent  high  price  of  rice  was  causing 
much  misery  to  the  farmers  and  the  poorer  classes. 
It  was  in  vain  that  Heihachiro  and  his  son  memorial- 
ized Atobe  Yamashiro-no-Kami,  the  new  Governor  of 
Osaka,  to  take  some  steps  to  aid  the  suffering  people. 
Their  petitions  were  rejected  and  their  representations 
remained  unnoticed.  Then  Heihachir6  in  anger 
denounced  the  selfishness  of  the  authorities,  and  seeing 
no  other  means  of  affording  relief,  sold  his  property 
and  distributed  the  proceeds  among  the  most  needy. 


yO  LEADING   MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

"From  the  commencement  of  the  year  1836,  heavy 
rain  fell  unceasingly,  and  so  unusually  cold  was  it  that 
summer  clothes  could  scarcely  be  worn  in  the  sixth 
month  (August,  according  to  the  present  reckoning). 
During  the  same  month  there  occurred  a  severe  storm 
which  nearly  ruined  the  crops  of  the  fifteen  provinces 
of  the  Tokaidd  and  Oshiu,  already  poor  enough  on 
account  of  the  inclement  season.  The  following 
month  there  was  a  still  more  violent  tempest  which 
uprooted  trees,  wrecked  many  vessels  on  the  coast, 
broke  down  the  river  embankments,  and  caused  floods 
which  carried  away  houses  and  destroyed  the  remnant 
of  the  crops  that  the  former  gale  had  spared.  In 
some  regions  the  people  were  rendered  utterly  desti- 
tute, and  many  died  on  the  road-side  of  starvation. 
Such  terrible  sufferings  from  famine  as  those  endured 
during  this  seventh  year  of  Tempo  have  fortunately 
rarely  been  recorded  in  the  history  of  Japan. 

"  During  the  famine  the  Government  authorities  acted 
in  the  most  shameful  manner  toward  the  helpless  and 
destitute  people.  They  cared  only  for  their  own  selfish 
interests,  and  did  nothing  to  relieve  the  starving  pop- 
ulation. The  rich  merchants,  also,  by  means  of  bribes 
to  the  officials,  taking  advantage  of  the  general  distress 
bought  up  all  the  rice  and  other  necessaries,  and  sold 
them  again  at  outrageous  prices,  thus  making  capital 
out  of  the  general  misery,  and  filling  their  own  pockets 
at  the  expense  of  the  starving  thousands.  Instead  of 
doing  any  thing  for  their  assistance,  they  added  to 
their  own  luxury,  and  spent  their  ill-gotten  gains  in 
every  kind  of  degraded  pleasures. 

"To  a  man  like  Heihachir6,  who  had  at  heart  only 
the  well-being  of  the  people,  this  state  of  things  was 
unendurable,  and  in  the  following  year,  1837,  he  deter- 
mined to  make  an  attempt  to  relieve  the  ever  increas- 


HEIHACHIRO.  7I 


ing  misery,  by  overthrowing  the  corrupt  officials,  and 
depriving  the  merchants  of  their  inhuman  gains. 

"  With  this  intent  he  got  together  a  body  of  men  to 
whom  he  stated  his  views,  and  drew  out  a  manifesto 
to  the  following  effect : 

"The  Government  most  gravely  mismanages  the 
affairs  of  the  state,  and  uses  no  discrimination  in  its 
administration.  The  officials  have  no  respect  for  the 
will  of  the  Emperor,  and  act  in  utter  violation  of  the 
laws  established  by  the  Tokugawa  dynasty.  Taxes 
are  for  ever  being  imposed,  and  those  who  collect 
them  seem  insatiable.  However  great  the  sufferings 
of  the  people  may  be,  the  officials  show  not  the 
slightest  wish  to  do  any  thing  to  alleviate  th'em.  They 
and  the  wealthy  merchants  indulge  in  every  kind  of 
luxurious  pleasure,  never  showing  an  atom  of  sympathy 
with  the  distress  of  the  poor.  For  these  reasons  it  is 
decided  that  such  officials  must  be  destroyed,  and  the 
inhuman  merchants  be  deprived  of  their  wealth,  that 
you,  the  people,  may  be  relieved  from  your  present 
misery.  Should  any  uprising  take  place,  select  your 
leaders  and  come  to  our  assistance,  so  that  you  may 
be  transported  from  the  tortures  of  hell  to  the  happi- 
ness of  Paradise."  . 

The  above  was  written  in  the  plainest  and  easiest 
Japanese  style,  so  that  farmers,  women  and  children 
could  read  and  understand  it.  At  the  end  the  procla- 
mation was  inscribed  "  Punishment  from  Heaven."  It 
was  then  enveloped  in  silk,  with  the  words  "  Heaven's 
commands  to  the  farming  class,"  and  distributed 
throughout  the  provinces  of  Settsu,  Kawachi,  Idzumi 
and  Harima,  copies  being  pasted  on  the  pillars  of  every 
Buddhist  temple  and  Shinto  shrine. 

Now  the  19th  of  the  second  month  (April)  was 
appointed  as  the  day  on  which  Hori  Iga-no-Kami,  the 


72  LEADING    MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

Governor  of  East  Osaka,  and  Atobe  Yamashiro-no- 
Kami,  the  Governor  of  the  western  districts,  should 
meet  and  inspect  the  various  wards  of  the  city.  It 
was  also  arranged  that  they  should  spend  some  portion 
of  the  day  in  recreation  at  the  residence  of  a  Yoriki, 
by  name  Asaoka,  which  stood  exactly  opposite  the 
house  of  Heihachir6.  The  latter,  taking  immediate 
advantage  of  this  opportunity,  at  once  called  together 
his  party,  made  up  of  Yoriki  Doshin,  Ronin,  students, 
and  the  more  wealthy  farmers  of  the  neighborhood, 
the  most  prominent  among  whom  was  Hashimoto 
Chubei,  of  Hanniaji-mura,  whose  daughter  was  a  mis- 
tress of  Heihachir6,  and  told  them  that  although  their 
plans  of  action  were  scarcely  matured,  it  would  never 
do  to  let  so  good  an  occasion  for  carrying  out  their 
intentions  slip  by.  It  was  therefore  agreed  that  they 
should  fall  on  the  two  Governors  when  they  were 
feasting  in  Asaoka's  house,  and  having  killed  them 
seize  the  castle,  and  after  forcing  the  wealthy  mer- 
chants to  give  up  their  property  distribute  it  among 
the  poor  people. 

Now  by  his  mistress,  Chubei's  daughter,  Heihachiro 
had  one  son  named  Hanjiro,  who  was  then  two  years 
old,  and  before  entering  upon  his  daring  project,  he 
secretly  had  both  mother  and  child  conveyed  out 
of  Osaka,  and  sent  to  some  distant  province  where 
they  could  hide  in  safety. 

The  appointed  day  drew  near,  and  orders  were  con- 
veyed to  the  neighboring  farmers  through  Chubei,  to 
meet  at  the  house  of  Heihachird  early  on  the  morning 
of  the  19th  instant,  as  some  presents  were  there 
awaiting  them.  On  the  night  of  the  eighteenth  it 
was  the  turn  of  two  yoriki  named  Koidzumi  and  Seda, 
both  belonging  to  Heihachir6's  party,  to  keep  watch 
at  the  Government  Office.     It  was  therefore  decided 


HEIHACHIRO.  ^3 


that  as  soon  as  the  two  Governors  had  set  out  they 
should  fire  the  Office,  and  thus  cause  confusion  that 
would  be  favorable  to  the  carrying  out  of  Heihachiro's 
plans. 

Unfortunately  for  their  success,  one  of  the  con- 
spirators named  Hirayama,  a  Doshin,  distrusting  the 
success  of  the  movement,  went  to  Governor  Atobe 
and  disclosed  the  whole  plot.  Atobe  was  thunder- 
struck by  the  intelligence,  and  after  consulting  with 
Governor  Hori,  sent  Hirayama  early  on  the  morning 
of  the  eighteenth  to  Yedo,  to  convey  the  news  to 
the  Bakufu,  Heihachiro  being  in  the  meantime 
entirely  ignorant  that  he  had  been  betrayed.  On  the 
eighteenth  the  Governors,  intending  to  examine  Koid- 
zumi  and  Seda,  ordered  them  to  their  presence.  They 
immediately  surmised  that  the  plot  had  been  dis- 
covered, and  attempted  to  escape.  Koidzumi  found 
himself  surrounded  by  a  body  of  samurai,  and  after 
bravely  fighting  for  some  time,  was  cut  down.  Seda, 
however,  succeeded  in  cutting  his  way  through  his 
assailants,  and  making  good  his  escape,  ran  to  the 
house  of  Heihachiro  and  informed  him  that  he  had 
been  betrayed,  and  that  the  whole  conspiracy  was 
known.  Seeing  no  other  alternative,  Heihachiro  then 
decided  to  commence  the  fight  rather  than  wait  and 
be  attacked. 

At  eight  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  nineteenth, 
rockets  and  guns  were  fired  to  call  the  forces  to- 
gether. They  had  fire-arms  and  several  pieces  of 
cannon,  and  were  likewise  armed  with  spears  and 
swords.  Heihachir6,  after  setting  fire  to  his  own 
house,  marched  out  at  the  head  of  his  men.  They 
fired  the  city  in  various  parts,  and  extorting  money 
from  the  wealthier  merchants  permitted  the  poor  to 
take  what  they  pleased.    Osaka  was  very  soon  almost 


74  LEADING   MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

entirely  in  flames,  the  clouds  of  smoke  that  rose 
hanging  over  the  city  like  a  pall.  The  greatest  con- 
fusion prevailed ;  women  with  their  children  on  their 
backs,  and  the  aged  and  helpless  carried  or  led  by 
the  younger  and  stronger,  struggling  together  in 
their  efforts  to  escape  the  conflagration. 

Heihachir6's  forces  gradually  swelled  in  numbers, 
and  were  divided  into  two  bodies,  one  commanded 
by  himself  in  person,  and  the  other  by  Oye  Shojird. 
The  authorities,  on  the  other  hand,  were  not  idle. 
Tajama-no-Kami,  the  commandant  of  the  fortress, 
with  the  two  Governors  doing  their  best  towards 
defending  themselves.  Stockades  were  thrown  up 
round  the  castle,  while  the  Yoriki  and  Doshin  were 
sent  out  against  the  rioters.  The  fight  was  desper- 
ate on  both  sides,  and  the  sounds  of  the  firing  and 
shouts  of  the  combatants  could  be  heard  for  miles. 
In  spite,  however,  of  their  desperate  bravery,  the 
forces  of  Heihachiro,  entirely  outnumbered  by  the 
Government  troops,  were  in  the  end  utterly  routed. 

Heihachiro  perceiving  that  there  was  now  no 
longer  any  hope  of  success  determined  to  destroy 
himself,  but  just  as  he  was  drawing  his  sword  to 
inflict  the  fatal  cut,  he  was  seized  from  behind  and 
a  voice  entreated  him  to  commit  no  such  act.  Look- 
ing round  he  saw  a  priest  of  tall  stature,  who  address- 
ing him  said :  "  I  am  the  robber  who  attacked  you 
on  Sudzuka-yama  many  years  ago.  Acting  on  your 
warning  I  changed  my  mode  of  life  and  entered  the 
priesthood.  I  have  been  for  a  long  time  in  Osaka, 
and  knew  that  Oshiwo  Heihachird  was  the  boy 
whom  I  once  attempted  to  rob;  but  I  was  ashamed 
to  show  my  face,  and  therefore  never  made  myself 
known  to  you.  Hearing  that  you  were  leading  the 
present  attempt,  I  determined  to  come  to  your  assist- 


FEIHACHIRO.  7$ 


ance,  but  found  that  it  was  too  late,  and  that  the 
day  was  already  lost.  You  once  spared  my  life, 
and  it  was  owing  to  your  advice  that  I  was  led  back 
to  an  honorable  calling.  I  look  upon  you  as  my 
greatest  benefactor,  and  all  I  ask  is  to  be  able  to 
repay  your  kindness  in  the  past." 

With  these  words  he  threw  off  his  clothes  and 
made  Hcihachiro  put  them  on.  Then  dressing  him- 
self in  Heihachiro's  garments,  and  telling  him  to  make 
good  his  escape  and  bidding  him  farewell,  he  appeared 
before  the  Government  troops  and  called  out  "  I  am 
Oshiwo  Hcihachiro,  and  am  determined  to  die  on  this 
spot.  Come  now,  therefore,  and  attack  me  !  "  He 
was  soon  surrounded,  and  for  a  time  fought  desper- 
ately. At  last,  disabled  by  many  wounds,  he  jumped 
into  the  flames  of  a  burning  house,  his  last  wish  being 
to  delude  his  opponents  into  believing  that  it  was 
Hcihachiro  who  thus  perished.  When  the  body  was 
rescued  from  the  flames,  however,  although  the  fea- 
tures were  unrecognizable,  its  remarkable  size  proved 
that  it  could  not  be  Hcihachiro,  who  was  a  man  of 
small  stature,  and  it  was  shown  to  be  a  trick  to  induce 
the  authorities  to  believe  that  the  latter  had  thus  met 
his  death. 

The  struggle  had  now  come  to  an  end.  The  rioters 
were  completely  routed,  but  their  leader  succeeded  in 
making  good  his  escape.  The  flames  of  the  burning 
city  were  not  extinguished  until  the  morning  of  the 
twenty-first,  up  to  which  time  eighteen  thousand,  two 
hundred  and  forty  seven  houses,  four  hundred  large 
godowns,  seven  hundred  and  three  smaller  godowns 
and  five  large  bridges  had  been  swept  away.  Such 
was  the  result  of  this  outbreak,  which  with  one  excep- 
tion, the  fight  at  Amakusa,  was  attended  with  more 
serious  loss  than  any  disturbance  during  the  whole 


'jG  LEADING    MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

of  the  Tokugawa  dynasty,  and  which  would  probably 
have  been  far  greater  had  the  plot  not  been  disclosed. 

Heihachir6  believing  that  he  was  more  certain 
of  concealment  in  Osaka,  where  so  great  confusion 
reigned,  than  if  he  were  to  hide  in  some  distant  place, 
went  with  his  son  to  the  house  of  a  cloth  merchant 
named  Miyoshiya  Gorobei,  who  lived  at  Abura-cho, 
and  whose  wife  was  also  a  daughter  of  Chubei  and 
sister  of  his  mistress.  Here  they  lay  hid  in  a  room 
that  was  entered  only  by  Gorobei  and  his  wife,  their 
presence  being  unsuspected  by  any  other  member  of 
the  household.  The  Bakufu  were,  in  the  meantime, 
sending  detectives  to  every  part  of  the  country  to  try 
and  discover  Heihachir6's  place  of  concealment,  but 
they  could  learn  nothing  of  his  whereabouts. 

Now  in  Gorobei's  employ  it  happened  that  there 
was  a  maid  servant  whose  famly  lived  in  the  neigh- 
boring village  of  Hirano.  Her  term  of  service  ex- 
pired in  March  of  this  year,  and  she  returned  to  her 
home.  One  day  she  happened  casually  to  remark 
that  she  could  not  understand  why  Gorobei  had  lately 
been  in  the  habit  of  using  so  much  rice,  for  that  more 
was  boiled  every  day  than  the  family  could  possibly 
consume,  and  yet  it  always  disappeared.  Now  when 
some  gossips  in  the  village  heard  this,  they  re- 
membered that  the  wife  of  Gorobei  was  related  to 
Heihachir6*s  mistress,  and  they  suspected  that  the 
merchant  might  be  concealing  the  leader  of  the  riot. 
They  communicated  their  suspicions  to  the  authori- 
ties, who  immediately  arrested  Gorobei  and  his  wife, 
and  examined  them  before  the  court.  Then  they  con- 
fessed that  from  the  23d  of  February  up  to  the  date 
of  their  examination,  the  27th  of  March,  Heihachir6 
and  his  son  had  been  hidden  in  their  house.  Detec- 
tives were  at  once  sent  to  the  spot,  Gorobei's  wife 


HEIHACHIRO.  7/ 


being  compelled  to  act  as  guide.  The  house  was 
surrounded  while  a  few  proceeded  to  the  room  where 
Heihachiro  and  his  son  were  concealed.  Immediately 
the  latter  perceived  that  they  were  discovered,  they 
set  fire  to  some  gunpowder  that  they  had  kept  by 
them,  and  amid  the  flames  and  smoke  of  the  burning 
house,  they  both  committed  scppuku. 

Thus  ended  the  life  of  a  man  endowed  with  sin- 
gular ability  and  of  marked  attainments,  at  the  age  of 
forty-five,  his  only  crime  being  that  he  was  too  anx- 
ious for  the  welfare  of  the  people.  As  for  Gorobei, 
his  property  was  confiscated,  his  wife  was  exiled,  and 
himself  died  in  prison. 

A  few  words  about  Hanjiro,  the  child  who  was  sent 
away  into  safety  with  his  mother  before  Heihachiro 
caused  the  outbreak  which  cost  him  his  life.  The 
mother  after  roaming  about  the  country,  finally  came 
to  Kagoshima  with  the  child,  but  still  fearing  that  the 
Bakufu  would  discover  them,  settled  in  the  island  of 
Amakusa.  The  boy  as  he  grew  up  showed  wonderful 
talent  for  all  branches  of  military  science.  These 
youthful  promises  have  been  amply  fulfilled,  for  the 
boy  Hanjiro  has  developed  into  the  famous  Satsuma 
samurai  and  leader  Kirino. 


HIGASHI  FUSHIMI. 

HIS  Imperial  Highness,  Prince  Higashi  Fushimi 
Yoshiaki,  is  the  third  son  of  his  Imperial 
Highness,  Prince  Fushimi  Kuni-iye,  He  was  made 
Prince  Imperial  by  Emperor  Ninko,  and  became  a 
priest*  in  1858,  when  he  adopted  the  name  of  Ninnaji- 
no-Miya.  The  subject  of  this  memoir  is  gifted  with 
great  energy,  a  high  order  of  intellect  and  an  equable 
temperament.  He  was  one  of  the  prime  movers  in 
the  restoration  of  the  Imperial  authority  to  its  original 
and  legitimate  preeminence,  and  at  'the  time  of  the 
last  war  of  the  Restoration,  abandoned  the  priest- 
hood by  Imperial  command,  and  was  appointed  a 
member  of  the  Legislative  Council  of  the  Empire. 
Shortly  afterwards  Prince  Higashi  was  placed  in  com- 
mand of  the  expedition  against  the  rebels  in  the  east- 
ern provinces.  At  the  same  time  he  was  presented 
by  the  Emperor  with  an  Imperial  standard  and  a  sword 
of  honor. 

Hearing  that  the  royal  forces  had  been  severely 
handled  by  their  opponents  at  Yodo  and  Toba,  the 
Prince-Marshal  at  once  proceeded  to  the  scene  of 
operations,  and  restored  the  fortune  of  the  war  by 
inflicting  a  decisive  defeat  upon  the  rebels.  He  then 
marched  to  Osaka,  and  using  it  as  a  base  of  opera- 

*  Until  the  Restoration  it  was  customary  in  Japan  for  all  the  sons  of  the  reigning 
Kmperor,  vnih  the  exception  of  the  heir  apparent,  to  become  priests.  This  was  done 
to  avoid  the  possibility  of  any  disputes  arising  about  the  succession  to  the  throne  after 
'he  death  of  the  occupant. 

78 


HIGASHI    FUSHIMI.  79 

tions,  sent  columns  to  Yamato,  the  central  provinces 
and  Shikoku,  reducing  these  localities  to  submission. 

In  March,  1868,  Prince  Hiyashi  was  appointed 
Minister  of  War,  and  three  months  afterwards  com- 
mander-in-chief at  Yechigo.  He  then  invaded  Aizu, 
capturing  the  Daimio  of  that  district,  after  which  he 
returned  to  Tokio  in  November  of  the  same  year, 
when  his  important  services  to  the  Imperial  cause 
were  rewarded  by  the  grant  of  a  pension  of  one  thoii- 
sand  five  hundred  koku  of  rice. 

His  Highness  now  resigned  all  his  appointments 
and  turned  his  attention  to  the  study  of  moral  science 
and  art.  He  applied  for  and  obtained  permission  to 
visit  Europe,  and  in  the  winter  of  1870  went  to  Eng- 
land, where  he  remained  for  three  years,  ardently 
devoting  himself  to  the  study  of  Western  civilization. 
Shortly  after  his  return  to  Japan  he  applied  for  per- 
mission to  revisit  Europe,  with  the  object  of  acquiring 
a  further  knowledge  of  military  science  ;  but  the  rising 
of  Eto  Shimpei,  at  Saga,  occurring.  His  Royal  High- 
ness was  placed  in  command  of  the  army  operating 
against  the  rebels.  Before  his  arrival  at  Saga  the 
outbreak  was  crushed  and  he  then,  in  conjunction 
with  the  late  Okubo  Toshimichi,  at  that  time  Home 
Minister,  tranquilized  the  disturbed  districts,  reward- 
ing the  loyal  and  punishing  the  disaffected.  On  his 
return  from  this  service  His  Highness  was  appointed 
a  Lieutenant-General  in  the  Imperial  army. 

In  1877  the  rebellion  in  the  southwest  broke  out, 
and  Prince  Hiyashi  was  placed  in  command  of  the 
troops  armed  and  disciplined  on  the  Western  model. 
The  deeds  performed  in  this  rebellion  belong  to  the 
history  "of  Japan;  and  His  Highness  greatly  distin- 
G^uished  himself  both  by  his  wise  counsels  and  bravery 
in  the  field,  receiving,  on  the  suppression  of  this  for- 


80  LEADING    MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

midable  rising,  as  recognition  of  his  brilliant  services, 
the  Order  of  the  Rising  Sun  of  the  first-class. 

The  recent  change  in  the  Ministry  has  again  brought 
His  Highness'  name  prominently  before  the  public, 
as  he  has  been  appointed  a  general  and  intrusted 
with  the  command  of  the  Imperial  Guard,  the  corps 
ddite  of  the  Japanese  army, 


HIROYUKI  KATO. 

THIS  accomplished  scholar  was  born  in  Tokio, 
and  is  about  forty-five  years  of  age.  After 
acquiring  a  thorough  knowledge  of  his  native  lan- 
guage and  history,  as  well  as  those  of  China,  he  began 
the  study  of  the  German  language,  which  he  soon 
mastered.  In  1872  he  was  invited  to  take  the  secre- 
taryship of  the  Educational  Department;  and  about 
that  time  commenced  the  publication,  in  Japanese,  of 
an  extensive  work,  translated  from  the  German,  on 
State  and  National  Law,  of  which  between  fifteen  and 
twenty  volumes  were  issued.  He  also  published  a 
number  of  griginal  volumes  connected  with  the 
progress  of  affairs  in  Japan,  all  of  which  were  so  ably 
and  judiciously  written  as  to  command  great  influence 
among  the  people.  For  his  various  services  as  a  man 
of  letters,  he  received  two  or  three  titles  of  honor; 
and  was  at  one  time  invited  to  become  a  member  of 
the  Imperial  Household,  and  had  the  honor  of  assist- 
ing the  Emperor  in  acquiring  a  knowledge  of  the 
German  language.  As  a  natural  result  of  his  many 
acquirements,  he  was  subsequently  made  president  of 
the  University  of  Tokio,  or  Tokio  Daigaku,  in  1879,  i^^ 
which  capacity  he  is  accomplishing  much  good  for  the 
intellectual  welfare  of  his  countrymen.  The  calendar 
of  that  institution  for  1880  is  now  before  the  writer, 
and  it  is  certainly  a  remarkable  volume  ;  in  all  its 
arrangements  equal  to  any  thing  of  the  kind  in 
America  and   England.     It    fills  five   hundred   and 

81 


82  LEADING   MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

seventy-five  pages,  two  hundred  of  which  are  in  Eng- 
lish. In  contains  an  historical  summary  of  the  insti- 
tution, from  which  we  learn  that  the  introduction  of 
Western  learning  into  Japan  took  place  about  the 
year  1703,  when  the  University  was  really  founded; 
that  a  new  and  important  departure  was  taken  in 
1855;  and  that  at  the  present  time,  full  courses  of 
instruction  are  given  in  all  the  departments  of  law, 
science  and  literature.  The  total  number  of  officers 
employed  in  the  institution  is  sixty-four,  of  whom 
fifty-two  are  Japanese  and  twelve  are  foreigners. 
Among  the  Japanese  professors,  who  seem  to  have 
their  full  share  of  hard  work,  are  two- — Toyama  and 
Yatabe — who  are  well  known  for  their  superior  tal- 
ents in  the  United  States  where  they  were  educated 
—  the  first  at  the  University  of  Michigan,  and  the 
second  at  the  Cornell  University.  With  a  full  corps 
of  such  men  to  help  him  in  his  responsible  position. 
President  Hiroyuki  Kato  cannot  fail  in  time  to  place 
the  University  of  Tokio  on  a  level  with  the  very  best 
institutions  of  the  kind  in  any  land. 

Among  the  Americans  who  have  heretofore  been 
connected  with  the  Tokio  University,  we  name  with 
pleasure  the  Rev.  D.  E.  W.  Syle,  from  one  of  whose 
lectures  on  Japan,  delivered  in  the  United  States,  we 
quote  two  paragraphs,  which  are  not  inappropriate  to 
the  foregoing,  as  follows  :  — 

It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  Japan  has  a  Minister  of  Education,  a 
functionary  not  to  be  found  in  either  Washington  or  London. 

Altogether,  Japan  opens  a  novel  and  most  interesting  field  to  the 
explorer  in  all  departments.  In  history,  in  art,  in  natural  phenomena, 
in  ethnography,  and  in  many  other  respects,  we  find  in  Japan  aspects 
of  fact  and  of  detail  which  are  unique  and  of  an  exceptional  value.  No 
country  better  repays  the  traveller,  and  in  none  can  he  be  more  certain 
of  a  courteous  welcome.  The  Japanese  have  nothing  to  learn  from  us 
on  the  score  of  good  manners ;  while  we  might  learn  from  them  more 
lessons  than  could  be  briefly  enumerated. 


IJICHI  MASAHARU. 

HE  is  a  native  of  the  province  of  Satsuma,  and 
was  well-educated  in  Chinese  literature  ;  but  as 
he  progressed  in  life,  took  a  special  interest  in  agri- 
cultural affairs.  He  was  among  the  first  to  advocate 
the  policy  of  Restoration,  and  frequently  visited  the 
city  of  Kiota  for  the  purpose  of  helping  on  the  cause. 
He  there  had  charge  of  the  Imperial  forces  consisting 
chiefly  of  Satsuma  men,  and  when  a  demonstration 
was  made  upon  the  city  by  the  Tokugawa  army,  he 
with  the  help  of  Yamada,  after  a  severe  conflict 
caused  the  enemy  to  retire  in  dismay.  He  then  went 
to  Yedo,  and  at  a  council  of  war  held  there,  he  pro- 
posed plans  for  continuing  the  conflict,  all  of  which 
were  duly  carried  out,  and  finally  resulted  in  the  sub- 
jugation of  all  the  followers  of  the  Tycoon.  For  these 
services  he  was  rewarded  with  an  annual  pension  of 
one  thousand  kokus  of  rice. 

After  the  war  he  returned  to  Satsuma,  his  native 
province,  and  held  a  leading  position ;  and  when  the 
Hans  were  abolished  after  the  Restoration,  and  gave 
place  to  the  more  modern  Ken  or  province,  he  was  called 
to  Yedo  and  became,  with  Yamagota  and  Kuroda, 
member  of  the  Imperial  Council;  and  in  1875  was 
brought  into  intimate  relationship  with  the  Emperor,  as 
a  devoted  personal  friend.  Feeling  a  desire  to  return 
to  his  native  province,  he  obtained  leave  to  do  so,  and 
for  a  while  devoted  himself  to  the  pursuits  of  agri- 

83 


84  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

culture.  But  in  1 879  he  was  again  called  to  Yedo  to 
be  near  the  Emperor,  where  he  has  continued  until 
the  present  time,  commanding  the  highest  regard 
not  only  of  the  Emperor,  but  of  all  the  people,  who 
are  acquainted  with  his  faithfulness  as  a  man  and  an 
official. 


INOUYE  KAORU. 

HE  was  born  in  the  province  of  Choshiu,  re- 
ceived a  good  native  education,  and  from  his 
earliest  years  gave  promise  of  future  success.  At 
one  time,  because  of  his  wit  and  eloquence,  he  was 
very  popular  among  the  people,  and  the  name  by 
which  he  was  known  on  reaching  the  years  of  matu- 
rity, was  that  of  Bunda.  When  the  English,  French, 
Dutch  and  Americans  made  their  attack  on  the 
Japanese  fortifications  at  Shimonos^ki,  he,  in  com- 
pany with  his  friend  Ito  Hirobumi,  received  the 
proposals  made  by  the  foreign  envoys.  When  the 
Tokugawa  forces  made  an  attack  on  the  Choshiu  Han 
he  with  Omura  Masjiro,  in  command  of  the  Imperial 
forces,  defeated  the  enemy,  and  captured  the  province 
of  Iwaki,  and  was  also  successful  in  other  military 
exploits.  And  it  was  during  the  discontents  among 
the  samurai,  and  because  of  his  loyalty  to  his  sover- 
eign, that  an  effort  was  made  to  assassinate  him,  and 
the  wounds  he  then  received  have  remained  visible 
down  to  the  present  day.  In  1867  he  became  the 
highest  local  official  in  his  native  Han  to  look  after 
the  Imperial  cause,  and  devoted  himself  to  foreign 
affairs,  and  subsequently  became  a  judge  at  Naga- 
saki. 

His  next  official  position  was  that  of  Vice  Minister  of 
the  Finance  Department  in  Tokio.  In  that  capacity 
he  did  much  to  promote  order  in  the  affairs  of  the 

8S 


86  LEADING   MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

Government ;  and  it  was  under  his  orders  that  the 
various  provinces  during  the  period  of  the  Restoration 
gave  up  their  guns  before  the  revolt  in  Satsuma. 

In  1873,  when  certain  affairs  connected  with  the 
Government  did  not  progress  as  he  thought  they 
should,  he  resigned  from  the  Treasury. 

When  the  difficulties  with  Corea  arose  in  1875,  he 
was  requested  to  visit  that  country  in  the  capacity  of 
charge  d'  affaires,  and  after  having  secured  an  amicable 
settlement  of  the  troubles,  returned  to  Japan  and 
was  honored  with  a  handsome  present  in  money  by 
the  Emperor. 

He  subsequently  visited  England  on  business  con- 
nected with  the  Treasury  Department,  and  was  again 
successful  in  his  mission.  On  his  return  to  Japan,  he 
became  a  member  of  the  Council  of  State  ;  then 
placed  at  the  head  of  the  Public  Works  Department, 
for  which  he  was  honorably  decorated,  and  in  1879 
was  made  Minister  for  Foreign  Affairs,  in  which 
position  he  increased  his  reputation  as  a  true  patriot 
and  a  judicious  diplomat. 

His  knowledge  of  the  English  language  is  quite 
complete,  and  in  all  that  he  does  for  his  country  he 
uniformly  displays  a  thorough  knowledge  of  sound, 
practical  affairs,  in  his  own  and  foreign  countries. 

Like  all  men  of  his  character,  during  his  residence 
in  London,  he  fortified  himself  with  all  the  knowledge 
he  could  possibly  acquire,  and  hence  it  is  that  on 
all  such  subjects  as  the  conduct  of  business  in  all 
the  departments  of  Government,  and  especially  in 
regard  to  diplomatic  and  financial  affairs,  he  is  a  lead- 
ing authority,  and  exercises  great  influence  among  his 
countrymen. 

With  a  view  of  giving  the  foreign  reader  an  idea  of 
Mr.  Inouye's  statesmanship,  and  of  his  style  as  a  writer, 


INOUYE   KAORU.  8/ 


we  have  obtained  the  translation  of  a  memorial  on  the 
condition  of  the  Empire,  which  appeared  in  1873,  and 
which,  besides  his  own  signature,  had  that  of  his 
friend  Shibusawa  Shigekagu,  as  follows  : 

"  Although  the  prosperity  or  decay  of  the  state  un- 
doubtedly depends  on  natural  causes,  still  they  also 
may  be  affected  by  the  merits  or  demerits  of  the 
measures  adopted  by  the  Government.  Not  ten  years 
have  elapsed  since  the  Reformation,  and  yet  immense 
progress  has  already  been  achieved  in  various  branches. 
On  the  one  hand  the  law,  which  during  several  centu- 
ries had  been  inoperative,  has  been  revived,  while  on 
the  other  hand  the  vigorous  forms  of  government  and 
legislation  of  the  five  great  continents  have  been 
searched  for  whatever  was  worthy  of  adoption  from 
them.  The  feudal  system  has  been  changed,  and  the 
whole  country  brought  under  one  rule.  Birth  is  no 
longer  the  sole  qualification  for  office,  but  wisdom  and 
talent  are  required  in  its  stead.  In  legislation  the 
law  of  nations*  has  been  superadded,  and  in  matters 
of  debate  the  opinion  of  the  majority  of  the  nationf 
has  been  exhaustively  consulted.  As  regards  educa- 
tion, eight  districts  have  been  marked  out,  to  provide 
instruction  for  the  ignorant  populace,  while,  as 
regards  military  organization,  six  military  divisions 
have  been  created  in  order  to  keep  the  seditious 
under  restraint.  In  order  to  facilitate  speedy  inter- 
communication the  power  of  steam  has  been  applied 
to  ships  and  vehicles,  and  for  the  quicker  transmission 
of  information  the  telegraph  has  been  invoked  on  land 
and  under  the  sea.     Attention  has  been  bestowed  on 


•This  phrase  seems  rather  vague.     Bankoku  kbhb  is  the  usual  rendering  of  "  The 
I^w  of  Nations,"  but  it  more  correctly  represents  natural  law,  or  perfect  justice. 

t  Tlie  attempt  to  form  a  deliberative  assembly  has  recently  been  finally  decided 

UpOUa 


LEADING    MEN    Ol-    JAl'AN. 


commerce,  and  energy  directed  towards  the  opening 
up  of  undeveloped  tracts  of  land.  From  the  mint, 
iron-foundries,  light-houses,  railways,  to  the  streets, 
roads,  house,  dress  and  furniture,  every  thing  shows 
daily  improvements  which  succeed  each  other  with 
such  rapidity  that  our  advance  into  the  regions  of 
civilization  may  be  compared  to  the  race-horse  which 
leaves  every  thing  behind  him.  If  we  continue  in  this 
course  for  a  few  years  without  stopping,  our  civiliza- 
tion will  be  such  that  we  shall  not  be  ashamed  to 
stand  a  comparison  with  any  country  in  Europe  or 
America.  Every  man  who  takes  an  interest  in  the 
welfare  of  the  state  rejoices  and  congratulates  his 
fellow. 

"  But  we  have  nevertheless  a  cause  for  grief.  No 
grief  is  so  pure  as  not  to  be  mingled  with  joy;  no  joy 
so  pure  as  not  to  be  mingled  with  grief.  If  then  we 
feel  grief  we  should  endeavor  to  find  out  its  joyful 
side;  if  we  experience  joy,  we  should  reflect  on  the 
element  of  grief  which  it  contains.  If  we  do  this  the 
measures  we  shall  adopt  will  be  the  right  measures, 
and  the  state  will  enjoy  a  truly  enlightened  rule. 

"  The  word  enlightenment  is  a  single  word,  but 
when  we  consider  its  application,  it  must  be  acknowl- 
edged to  be  employed  in  two  distinct  senses.  Those 
who  make  an  enlightened  theory  of  government  their 
chief  aim,  take  it  to  be  outward  appearance;  while 
those  who  consider  enlightened  capacity  in  the  people 
to  be  most  important,  take  it  to  be  a  question  of 
actual  fact.  Those  who  take  it  to  be  outward  appear- 
ance find  the  object  easy  of  attainment ;  those  who 
take  it  to  be  a  question  of  actual  fact  find  it  difficult 
to  succeed. 

"At  this  moment  the  populations  of  every  European 
or  American  country  are  diligent  in  true  learning,  and 


INOUVK    KAORU.  89 


they  excel  in  knowledge  and  intelligence.  Every  man 
feels  it  a  disgrace  to  be  unable  to  live  by  his  own 
exertions,  but  our  people  do  the  very  opposite.  The 
samurai  merely  understands  how  to  live  on  the  allow- 
ance of  rice  inherited  from  his  progenitors,  but  not 
how  to  acquire  a  civil  or  military  profession.  The 
peasant  merely  understands  how  to  practise  the  ordi- 
nary village  routine,  but  cannot  improve  in  the  art  of 
agriculture.  The  tradesman  merely  understands  how 
to  strive  for  petty  profits,  but  is  ignorant  of  the  laws 
of  commerce.  All  of  these  are  ignorant  of  the  art  of 
living  by  their  own  exertions,  and  although  there  may 
be  one  or  two  here  and  there  who  are  distinguished 
by  ability  or  knowledge,  the  majority  depend  on  the 
aid  of  others,  and  trust  to  the  chance  of  fortune,  or 
can  do  no  better  than  climb  on  to  the  conspicuous 
mound  and  catch  profit  in  a  net.*  In  the  worst  cases 
fraud  and  deceit  are  prevalent,  and  trickery  shows 
itself  in  a  thousand  forms.  Often  beggary  and 
ruin  are  the  consequences.  If  you  drive  on  such 
people  too  fast,  and  try  to  make  them  suddenly  enter 
the  region  of  enlightenment,  you  are  like  one  who  on 
seeing  an  egg  demands  that  it  become  immediately 
changed  into  a  cock. 

"We  have  thought  to  ourselves  secretly  in  the 
midst  of  the  night:  —  *  We  have  been  long  at  the 
capital,  have  once  travelled  abroad,  and  have  held  office 
for  a  considerable  period.  We  cannot  deny  also  that 
we  have  seen  a  good  deal,  so  that  our  knowledge  and 
intelligence  must  certainly  be  greater  than  they  orig- 
inally were.  And  yet,  if  we  humbly  ask  wherein  are 
we  superior,  we  find  ourselves  to  be  ignorant  fellows 
as  before.*  This  has  constantly  drawn  profound  sighs 
from  our  bosoms.     If  our  own  experience  is  such, 

•  Vide  Meodus  Bk.   II.  Pu   II.  Cap.   X.  $  6  &  7  Leggc's  Editioo. 


90  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

how  much  more  must  it  be  the  case  with  those  who 
dwell  in  remote  and  rural  parts.  From  this  it  does 
not  require  a  learned  man  to  see  that  the  enlighten- 
ment of  to-day  does  not  consider  the  capacity  of  the 
people,  but  that  it  is  merely  a  vain  race  after  a  theory 
of  administration. 

*'  If  the  only  object  in  view  is  a  theory  of  adminis- 
tration, what  patriot  will  not  wish  for  the  civilized 
government  of  a  European  or  American  country. 
But  the  samurai  who  are  now  in  office  have  never  yet 
trodden  the  soil  of  those  lands,  nor  have  their  eyes 
beheld  their  state.  All  they  know  is  derived  from 
translations  of  books  or  from  photographs.  And  yet 
they  are  eager  and  excited  in  wishing  to  enter  into 
rivalry  with  those  countries.  Still  more  is  it  the  case 
with  those  who  have  resided  abroad  for  some  years. 
When  they  return  home,  some  maintain  England  to 
be  superior  to  all.  Others  assert  the  preeminence  of 
France.  Or,  it  may  be,  Holland,  America,  Prussia  or 
Austria.  They  compare  the  superiority  of  each  to 
our  own  condition,  and  in  commerce,  the  development 
of  non-productive  regions,  in  legislation,  debate,  mili- 
tary organization,  education,  dress  and  mechanical 
appliances,  in  short  in  every  branch  the  attempt  has 
been  made  to  equip  ourselves  completely,  by  including 
every  detail  that  might  be  converted  to  the  assistance 
of  our  civilization. 

*'  It  is,  of  course,  a  perfectly  natural  feeling  which 
has  prompted  all  this,  and  we  cannot  condemn  it 
altogether  as  wrong.  But  if  regard  is  only  had  to 
outward  appearance,  and  no  attention  be  bestowed 
on  the  reality,  the  Government  and  the  people  will 
be  widely  opposed  in  feeling.  The  more  beautiful 
the  laws  become  the  greater  will  be  the  fatigue  of  the 
people.     As  the  activity  of  the  rulers  increases  the 


INOUYE    KAORU.  9 1 


national  strength  will  diminish,  and  before  the  work 
is  achieved  the  country  will  fall  into  poverty  and 
weakness.  Even  the  good  that  may  have  been 
effected  will  not  last.  And  if  this  is  to  be  the  end, 
how  shall  we  maintain  our  existence  as  a  nation  .-* 

"  Thus  that  which  is  the  joy  of  all  is  what  we 
grieve  over. 

"  Although  we  ought  to  place  our  aim  high  in 
all  matters  which  affect  the  Empire,  it  is  necessary 
that  in  order  to  work  we  should  proceed  step  by 
step  and  in  regular  order,  assuring  ourselves  first 
of  each  result  attained,  and  that  the  theory  of  admin- 
istration should  not  be  at  variance  with  the  capacities 
of  the  people.  Assuredly"  we  should  not  proceed  has- 
tily, move  heedlessly,  or  attempt  a  speedy  result  in 
too  short  a  space  of  time. 

"  When  the  military  vassals  (i.  e.  the  Shogunate) 
ruled  the  state,  though  the  system  differed  in  each 
province,  men  everywhere  held  office  in  virtue  of  their 
birth.  Those  who  occupied  high  rank  were  all  men 
who  had  lived  in  the  lap  of  luxury,  and  the  power 
was  wielded  by  officials  of  surbordinate  position. 
The  latter  were  ignorant  of  the  right  way  to  govern, 
and  of  law.  They  relied  much  on  precedent,  and 
as  every  thing  was  decided  by  military  force,  matters 
were  settled  without  difficulty,  and  none  of  the 
troubles  which  arise  from  confusion  were  felt.  The 
people,  accustomed  to  long-established  abuses,  looked 
upon  them  as  matters  of  course.  No  one  thought 
there  was  any  thing  to  be  shocked  at  in  all  this,  and 
the  country  remained  quiet  for  over  two  centuries. 

"But  as  soon  as  intercourse  with  foreign  countries 
commenced  the  magnitude  of  the  evil  became  appar- 
ent, and  order  could  not  be  maintained.  Since  that 
time  men  animated  by  a  sense  of  right  and  a  feeling 


92  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

of  humanity  have  arisen  in  crowds,  and  have  shed 
their  blood  eagerly  in  order  to  bring  about  a  reforma- 
tion. The  result  has  an  impulse  towards  the  abolition 
of  old  abuses,  the  reformation  of  the  administration 
and  the  purification  of  the  ears  and  eyes  of  the 
Empire.  The  first  object  was  to  widen  the  range 
of  both  sight  and  hearing.  In  seeking  to  widen 
the  range  of  seeing  and  hearing,  the  lesson  of  shame 
at  resting  in  the  old  rut  was  learnt.  When  this 
lesson  was  learnt  it  became  necessary  to  sweep  away 
old  abuses  boldly  and  resolutely.  Upon  this  the  work 
was  proceeded  with,  but  upon  no  fixed  principle, 
in  the  hope  that  by  changing,  every  thing  from  the 
national  polity,  the  military  system,  penal  laws, 
religious  instruction,  arts,  civil  laws,  and  trade,  down 
to  every  kind  of  accomplishment,  all  in  the  space  of 
a  moment,  we  might  enter  into  rivalry  with  all 
nations.  This  was  the  natural  effect  of  preceding 
causes,  but  should  not  have  been  left  to  work  itself 
out  spontaneously. 

"We  will  take  for  an  example  a  physician  prescribing 
for  a  disease.  When  the  disorder  is  at  its  height,  he 
must  apply  strong  remedies,  but  when  it  begins 
gradually  to  abate,  he  applies  mild  restoratives,  and 
awaits  the  revival  of  the  patient's  strength.  This  is 
the  perfection  of  the  art.  The  object  of  the  physician 
is  the  return  of  the  patient's  strength,  and  he  there- 
fore first  administers  powerful  remedies. 

"  The  art  of  ruling  the  Empire  is  exactly  the  same. 
When  the  disorder  gradually  abates,  various  measures 
are  initiated,  and  a  general  forward  movement  follows. 
This  is  the  time  to  apply  mild  restoratives.  It  is 
necessary  therefore  that  the  Government  in  pursuing 
its  policy  should  proceed  step  by  step  and  in  regular 
order,   assuring  itself   first   of  each   result   attained 


INOUYE    KAORU.  93 


before  moving  further.  But  hitherto  the  application 
of  this  theory  has  been  unknown.  We  still  imitate 
the  old  happy-go-lucky  style  and  busy  ourselves  with 
advancing  hurriedly  in  every  direction.  This  is  what 
we  cannot  feel  tranquil  about. 

"  We  think  we  can  at  the  same  time  point  out  the 
causes  of  this  state  of  things.  At  the  time  of  the 
Reformation  the  Government  hastened  to  select  men 
of  talent,  and  the  samurai  of  the  Empire  on  their  side 
were  enthusiastic  in  their  desire  to  serve  it.  Every 
one  who  had  a  single  accomplishment  or  speciality 
came  crowding  in,  and  thronged  to  the  foot  of  the 
throne.  Those  who  in  past  time  had  been  diligent 
and  faithful  servants  could  not  suddenly  be  cast  off, 
because  they  were  sometimes  destitute  of  the  neces- 
sary talent,  while  those  who  were  famed  for  their 
learning  could  not  be  dispensed  with,  even  though 
they  had  given  a  little  dissatisfaction.  Thus  outside 
the  official  ranks  there  were  men  whom  it  was  neces- 
sary to  appoint  to  office,  and  within  those  ranks  there 
were  none  who  could  be  dismissed.  The  want  of 
functionaries  to  carry  on  the  Government  was  never 
less  felt  than  at  this  moment.  • 

"  Now  if  officials  are  very  numerous,  they  are  sure 
to  have  a  predilection  for  initiating  new  measures. 
And  if  they  have  this  predilection  for  initiating  new 
measures,  they  are  also  sure  to  enjoy  gaining  distinc- 
tion. If  the  Government  then  pays  no  attention  to 
the  capacity  of  the  people,  but  devotes  its  energies 
to  administration,  and  the  officials  are  eagerly  bent  on 
initiating  new  measures  and  in  distinguishing  them- 
selves, it  is  impossible  to  avoid  neglecting  genuine 
work  for  empty  principles.  Still  more  when  a  feeling 
of  patriotism  causes  them  to  emulate  the  good  govern- 
ment of  those  enlightened  states,  and  to  desire  to 


94  LEADING   MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

rival  them  immediately.  Under  such  circumstances 
measures  will  be  largely  initiated,  and  they  fear  lest 
the  instruments  of  administration  should  be  deficient. 
Consequently  they  denounce  every  thing  that  they 
think  hurtful,  and  support  every  thing  which  is  likely 
to  prove  advantageous.  Some  look  out  for  chances 
of  promotion,  others  seek  favor  for  starting  novelties. 
From  all  the  departments  and  sub-departments  of 
state  down  to  the  local  administrations  every  one  is 
greedy  of  distinction,  and  the  number  of  officials  in 
each  gradually  swells.  The  quantity  of  business 
increases,  measures  multiply  until  they  interfere  with 
each  other  at  every  turn,  and  the  Government  itself  - 
becomes  unable  to  withstand  the  pressure  of  the  evil. 
Besides,  if  there  are  officials,  they  must  be  paid.  If 
measures  are  to  be  carried  out,  there  must  be  expendi- 
ture. In  this  way  business  multiplies  from  day  to 
day,  and  the  outlay  increases  in  a  corresponding  ratio. 
The  annual  revenue  being  insufficient  to  cover  the 
annual  expenditure,  the  necessary  funds  must  be  de- 
manded from  the  people. 

"  The  absolute  necessities  of  government  are  natu- 
rally great,  but  in  a  time  of  activity  like  the  present, 
the  best  counsel  is  the  accumulation  of  money ;  for  if 
that  be  neglected,  then  it  will  become  impossible  to 
provide  for  the  necessary  expenditure.  If  the  neces- 
sary expenditure  cannot  be  provided  for,  how  can 
any  thing  be  carried  out  ?  Under  these  circumstances 
taxation  has  to  be  increased,  or  forced  labor  must  be 
demanded,  and  the  people  be  subjected  to  burdens. 
The  end  of  this  will  be  that  the  people  can  no  longer 
breathe  in  peace,  and  the  country  must  inevitably 
decline  in  consequence.  This  has  been  a  common 
trouble  in  all  ages,  and  one  which  must  cause  the 
greatest  alarm  to  the  Government. 


INOUYE    KAORU. 


95 


"  A  rough  calculation  of  the  total  annual  revenue 
of  the  whole  country  shows  that  it  does  not  exceed 
forty  million  yen,  while  the  expenditure  for  the  cur- 
rent year  may  be  estimated  to  reach  the  sum  of  fifty 
million  yen,  if  no  unforeseen  trouble  occurs.  So  that 
on  comparing  the  revenue  and  expenditure  of  a  single 
year,  a  deficit  of  ten  million  yen  appears.  Besides 
this,  in  consequence  of  urgent  national  affairs  since 
the  Reformation,  the  outlay  which  has  been  incurred 
from  year  to  year,  i.  e.  in  excess  of  revenue,  probably 
exceeds  ten  million  yen.  In  addition  to  this  the 
paper  money  issued  by  the  Government  departments 
and  the  former  Han,  and  the  debts  due  in.  Japan  and 
in  foreign  countries,  when  added  together,  amount  to 
close  upon  one  hundred  and  twenty  million  yen.  So 
that  the  total  liabilities  of  the  Government  at  this 
moment  are  one  hundred  and  forty  million  yen,  and 
no  provision  has  yet  been  made  for  paying  them  off. 

"  Under  these  circumstances  it  behooves  us  at  once 
to  take  immediate  measures  for  gradually  extinguish- 
ing them,  for  if  this  is  not  done  the  popular  mind  will 
henceforth  lose  faith,  and  should  an  unforeseen  disas- 
ter befall  us  some  day,  we  shall  be  overwhelmed  with 
trouble  and  confusion.  It  will  be  then  too  late  to 
regret. 

"  If  then  the  Government  still  pays  no  attention  to 
these  matters,  but,  on  the  contrary,  devotes  its  ener- 
gies to  all  manner  of  reforms,  still  searching  as  before 
only  for  an  *  enlightenment '  theory  of  administration, 
how  will  it  be  able  to  protect  the  interests  of  the 
people }  If  the  Government  be  unable  to  protect 
the  interests  of  the  people,  how  shall  the  people 
come  to  life  again  ?  Some  advocate  says  :  *  The 
people  on  unproductive  land  labor  hard,  while  those 
who  occupy  fertile  land  live  at  case.     Ease  begets 


96  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

poverty,  labor  begets  wealth.  If  therefore  you  wish 
by  developing  their  intelligence  to  make  them  wealthy, 
increase  their  taxes,  and  we  shall  find  them  at  once 
on  the  level  of  European  or  American  countries.' 

"  What  an  error !  The  people  of  European  and 
American  countries  are  for  the  most  part  rich  in 
intelligence  and  knowledge,  and  they  preserve  the 
spirit  of  independence.  And  owing  to  the  nature  of 
their  polity  they  share  in  the  counsels  of  their  govern- 
ment. Government  and  people  thus  mutually  aid  and 
support  each  other,  as  hand  and  foot  protect  the  head 
and  eye.  The  merits  of  each  question  that  arises  are 
distinctly  comprehended  by  the  nation  at  home,  and 
the  Government  is  merely  its  outward  representative. 

"  But  our  people  are  different.  Accustomed  for 
ages  to  despotic  rule,  they  have  remained  content 
with  their  prejudices  and  ignorance.  Their  knowl- 
edge and  intelligence  are  undeveloped,  and  their  spirit 
is  feeble.  In  every  movement  of  their  being  they 
submit  to  the  will  of  the  Government,  and  have  not 
the  shadow  of  an  idea  of  wha^  '  a  right '  is.  If  the 
Government  makes  an  order,  the  whole  country  obeys 
it  as  one  man.  If  the  Government  takes  a  certain 
view,  the  whole  nation  adopts  it  unanimously.  In 
manners  and  customs,  language,  dress,  furniture,  even 
in  the  toys  of  every  day  use,  every  one  is  eager 
to  be  first,  and  afraid  to  be  last  in  imitating  the  taste 
of  the  Government.  But  the  lower  classes  are  more 
exaggerated  in  their  tastes  than  their  superiors.  For 
this  reason  the  importation  of  foreign  toys  and  trin- 
kets is  enormous,  and  the  exports  do  not  exceed  six 
or  seven-tenths  of  the  imports.  How  is  it  possible 
to  prevent  the  people  from  falling  daily  deeper  into 
poverty  ? 

"  One  of  the  ancients  has  said :  *  He  looked  on  the 


INOUYE    KAORU.  9/ 


people  as  he  would  on  a  man  who  was  wounded.'* 
But  at  present  the  Government  is  not  only  unable  to 
look  on  the  people  as  it  would  on  a  wounded  man. 
On  the  contrary  it  restrains  them  with  new  laws,  and 
burdens  them  with  new  taxes.  Every  one  must  be 
registered.  No  private  companies  can  be  formed 
without  a  license.  For  their  dwellings  they  must 
have  title-deeds.  The  men  must  be  subject  to  the  con- 
scription. Then  there  are  law  expenses,  fines  for 
violating  petty  rules,  laws  for  the  price  of  goods,  for 
their  sale,  for  cattle,  horses  and  servants.  In  conse- 
quence, whenever  a  new  decree  is  put  forth  the  peo- 
ple are  stupefied.  They  are  at  a  loss  how  to  act,  and 
lose  all  confidence.  If  they  are  unsuccessful  in  trade 
they  try  some  kind  of  handiwork.  If  unsuccessful  as 
artizans  they  try  agriculture.  Cases  of  beggary  and 
ruin  follow  each  other  incessantly,  and  the  number 
of  those  who  become  paupers  is  double  what  it  used 
to  be.  The  Government  constantly  advances  its  steps 
into  the  region  of  enlightenment,  and  the  people  as 
constantly  satisfy  their  ignorance  with  barbarous 
customs,  so  that  the  lower  classes  and  their  supe- 
riors are  as  widely  separated  as  earth  from  heaven. 
When  the  theory  of  administration  is  in  contradiction 
with  the  capacity  of  the  people  to  such  an  extent  as 
this,  the  good  and  beautiful  lose  all  their  value. 
We  see  what  is  to  be  grieved  over  and  find  nothing 
to  rejoice  at. 

"  Every  thing  has  its  measure  and  the  resources  of 
every  country  have  their  own  limits.  The  essence  of 
good  government  is  to  be  in  accordance  with  the 
spirit  of  the  time,  and  a  government,  in  order  that 
its  measures  may  be   successful,    must   be  well  ac- 

*Menciu%  B.  K.  IV.,  Pt.  II.  Cap.  XX.,  $  3,   Legge's  version;  i.  e.  he  regarded 
the  people  with  compassionate  tenderness,  ditto  in  note. 


98  LEADING   MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

quainted  with  the  limits  of  the  national  resources, 
and  must  understand  the  ideas  and  feelings  of  the 
people. 

"  The  government  of  all  European  and  American 
states  determined  their  revenue  after  having  esti- 
mated their  expenditure,  and  as  every  one  knows 
perfectly  well  that  we  cannot  do  this  in  the  present 
state  of  the  national  resources,  and  of  the  ideas  and 
feelings  of  the  people  we  must  for  the  present  adhere 
to  the  old  practise  of  determining  our  expenditure 
after  having  estimated  our  revenue  for  the  year,  fix 
our  expenditure  so  that  it  cannot  possibly  exceed  that 
revenue.  The  departments  and  sub-departments  of 
the  Government  and  the  local  administrations  must 
consider  what  is  the  best  order  in  which  to  carry  out 
the  various  measures  they  propose,  and  when  the 
expenditure  for  these  has  been  definitely  fixed  they 
must  not  be  allowed  to  exceed  it  one  atom.  As  for 
our  debts  and  paper  currency,  we  must  diminish  our 
unnecessary  expenditure,  economize  needless  salaries, 
and  apply  the  funds  thus  obtained  to  the  gradual 
extinction  of  one  and  the  redemption  of  the  other. 
We  must  not  advance  except  in  proper  order,  nor 
initiate  measures  unless  for  solid  objects.  The  people 
must  be  recalled  to  life,  and  the  Empire  be  made 
to  comprehend  with  clearness  that  the  objects  which 
the  Government  has  in  view  are  widely  different  from 
those  of  former  times.  This  is  the  present  condition 
of  things,  and  our  national  resources  and  the  ideas 
and  feelings  of  our  people  are  not  fit  for  any  thing 
beyond  it. 

"  Should  the  principle  be  accepted,  the  chief  func- 
tionaries ought  to  be  assembled  and  be  publicly  made 
acquainted  with  its  essence.  They  should  mutually 
bind  themselves  to  make  it  their  duty  not  to  lose 


INOUYE   KAORU.  99 


sight  of  the  aim  intended.  The  comparative  urgency 
of  different  measures,  and  the  order  of  their  execu- 
tion, such  questions  as  whether  Hberal  appropriations 
should  be  made  for  the  army  and  navy,  if  the  ex- 
penses of  legislation  be  curtailed,  or  a  certain  sum  be 
devoted  to  public  works,  and  the  expenditure  for 
education  be  cut  down,  whether  the  taxes  on  the  agri- 
cultural population  should  be  lightened,  and  the  taxes 
levied  on  the  trading  classes  be  increased,  should  be 
fully  debated  by  all,  the  best  course  be  selected  in  each 
case,  and  the  principle  be  adopted  for  the  future  that 
the  theory  of  administration  should  be  in  harmony 
with  the  capacity  of  the  people. 

"  If  this  were  done,  tne  people  would  before  long 
regain  confidence,  and  being  able  to  devote  their 
energies  to  the  acquisition  of  wealth,  they  would 
make  progress  in  enlightenment,  in  unison  with  the 
theory  of  administration. 

"  But  if  it  be  not  done,  then  disasters  will  befall  us 
from  within  and  without  at  a  moment  when  we  least 
expect  them,  and  the  ruin  will  be  so  complete  that 
nothing  may  avail  to  prevent  it.  Under  such  circum- 
stances, how  could  it  be  said  that  the  Government's 
measures  had  been  right  measures  }  In  spite  of  our 
unfitness  we  have  for  a  long  time  unworthily  super- 
intended the  finances,  and  thus,  although  we  have  not 
accomplished  any  great  exploits  in  the  discharge  of 
our  duties,  we  cannot  be  said  to  be  altogether  ignorant 
of  the  subject,  since  we  have  had  personal  experience 
of  the  facts.  When  we  reflect  on  what  we  see,  we 
not  only  see  nothing  to  rejoice  at  in  the  enlighten- 
ment of  to-day,  but  find  that  subjects  for  grief  are 
ready  to  make  their  appearance  at  every  moment. 
It  is  quite  clear  that  henceforward  the  question  will 
depend,  not  upon  the  effect  of  natural  causes,  but 


100  LEADING   MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

upon  the  measures  adopted  by  the  Government. 
**To  know  this  and  yet  to  be  silent  would  be  disloy- 
alty. To  say  it  without  knowing  it  would  be  folly. 
Even  if  we  should  be  rebuked  for  ignorance,  we  have 
no  desire  on  the  other  hand  to  be  disloyal  servants. 
Although  we  have  asked  for  our  dismissal,  because 
we  are  unequal  to  the  duties  of  our  office,  our  feelings 
will  not  suffer  us  to  remain  indifferent  at  this  moment. 
These  reasons  have  induced  us  to  record  our  humble 
opinion,  in  the  hope  that  it  may  receive  a  little  con- 
sideration from  the  Government." 


ITO  HIROBUMI. 

HE  was  born  in  the  province  of  Choshiu,  about 
the  year  1840,  and  was  well  educated  in  his 
native  language  as  well  as  in  English.  During  the 
troubles  preceding  the  Restoration,  he  rendered  im- 
portant services  by  keeping  down  the  hostile  feelings 
against  the  Europeans,  and  while  holding  the  position 
of  Governor  of  Hiogo  (or  Kobe),  he  did  much  to 
protect  the  Imperial  interests. 

In  1868  while  holding  a  position  of  trust  in  the 
Treasury  Department,  he  was  sent  as  a  commissioner 
to  the  United  States,  to  investigate  the  coinage 
system  in  operation  there,  and  his  report  resulted 
in  the  establishment  of  the  mint  of  Japan.  His  next 
position  was  that  of  acting  Minister  of  the  Public 
Works  Department,  and  while  holding  it,  he  originated 
the  idea,  and,  with  his  friend  Okuma,  consummated 
the  building  of  the  railroad  between  Tokio  and  Yoko- 
hama. He  then  became  a  member  of  the  Iwakura 
Embassy,  in  1871,  and  on  their  arrival  at  San  Fran- 
cisco, on  their  way  around  the  world,  he  delivered 
an  interesting  speech,  explaining  the  objects  of  the 
embassy,  which  attracted  marked  attention. 

In  1873,  when  the  Ambassadors  returned  from 
Europe,  they  found  the  people  greatly  excited  about 
the  affairs  of  Corea,  and  he  was  one  of  those  who 
earnestly  opf)osed  every  thing  like  aggressive  meas- 
ures; and  when  General   Saigo  and  others  of  the 

101 


•"110*2'     •••"•     'LfeADING   MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

existing  cabinet  resigned,  because  their  war-like 
measures  could  not  be  carried  out,  Mr.  Ito  was  pro- 
moted to  a  seat  in  the  Cabinet  as  Minister  of  Public 
Works.  He  was  also  one  of  those  who  attended  the 
famous  meeting  at  Osaka,  called  for  the  purpose  of 
discussing  the  measures  for  the  organization  of  a 
Constitutional  Monarchy,  and  with  him  were  asso- 
ciated such  men  as  Okubo,  Kido,  and  Itagaki ;  and 
the  plans  proposed  at  that  meeting  were  sanctioned 
by  the  Emperor  of  Japan,  by  a  decree  issued  in  1875. 
It  was  about  that  time,  also,  that  he  took  a  decided 
stand  against  the  too  great  freedom  of  the  press  in 
Japan. 

In  1876  he  accompanied  the  Prime  Minister  of 
Japan  on  a  tour  of  inspection  to  the  Island  of  Yesso, 
and  made  valuable  suggestions  for  the  welfare  of  the 
people  in  that  province. 

During  the  Satsuma  Rebellion,  he  went  to  Kioto, 
where  he  had  the  control  of  various  affairs  connected 
with  the  suppression  of  the  Rebellion,  and  for  these 
services,  on  his  return  to  Tokio,  he  was  honored  with 
the  first  degree  of  the  Order  of  the  Rising  Sun.  In 
the  same  year  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  Hosei 
Kioku,  or  Law  Making  Office.  In  1878  he  left  the 
Department  of  Public  Works,  and  became  Minister 
of  the  Home  Department;  and  in  1880  he  was  pro- 
moted to  a  position  in  the  Cabinet  as  one  of  the 
Sangi ;  and  is  one  of  the  most  influential  and  in- 
dustrious members  of  the  Government. 


ITAGAKI  TAISUKE. 

HE  was  born  in  the  province  of  Tosa,  and  edu- 
cated for  the  military  profession ;  was  an  aid- 
de-camp  to  the  General  of  the  Imperial  army  during 
the  war  for  the  Restoration ;  led  the  forces  under  his 
command  to  victory  on  several  occasions,  and  took  an 
active  part  in  the  subjugation  of  the  Prince  of  Aidzu; 
and  for  his  important  services  received  the  annual 
pension  of  one  thousand  kokus  of  rice.  After  the 
war  he  retired  to  his  native  province,  holding  a  position 
in  the  then  existing  Han,  but  it  was  not  long  before 
he  was  appointed  one  of  the  Sanji  or  privy  coun- 
cellors  of  the  Empire,  which  office  he  held  for  two 
years  in  Tokio,  from  1871,  when  with  his  friend  Saigo 
he  resigned,  because  he  advocated  a  war  with  Corea, 
and  was  in  the  minority ;  but  he  was  re-appointed  in 
1875  to  the  same  important  position.  He  was  one  of 
those,  moreover,  who  advocated  the  establishment  of  a 
national  assembly  ;  and  he  also  favored  various  other 
measures,  looking  to  the  better  management  of  public 
business.  About  that  time  he  was  honored  by  the 
formation  of  a  political  society  whose  principles  were 
founded  upon  those  which  he  had  been  foremost  in 
advocating.  In  1880,  sound  political  opinions  were 
generally  disseminated  throughout  the  length  and 
breadth  of  the  Empire ;  and  at  the  present  time  Mr. 
Itagaki  is  looked  upon  as  one  of  the  most  eminent 
leaders  of  the  party  of  liberal  principles. 

101 


IWAKURA    TOMOMI. 

HE  was  born  in  the  city  of  Kioto,  province  of 
Yamishoro,  Japan,  in  1 835,  and  early  received  all 
the  educational  advantages  afforded  by  his  country. 
While  yet  a  youth  he  was  appointed  one  of  the  cham- 
berlains in  the  Imperial  household  of  Komei  Tenno 
—  the  father  of  the  reigning  Emperor,  in  which  posi- 
tion he  acquitted  himself  with  credit.  In  1858  when 
Hotta,  as  an  envoy  of  the  Shdgunate  Government 
visited  Kioto,  and  requested  permission  from  the 
Emperor  to  conclude  treaties  with  the  foreign  powers, 
and  thus  to  open  the  entire  country,  Iwakura  brought 
his  influence  to  bear  against  the  proposition,  and  by 
his  boldness  won  the  respect  of  the  Emperor.  The 
advantages  promised  by  this  new  movement  he  did 
not  believe  in,  and  he  forthwith  suggested  that  the 
forces  of  the  Emperor  and  of  the  Shogun  should  be 
united  to  expel  all  the  foreigners  from  the  country. 
While  this  was  undoubtedly  the  result  of  a  patriotic 
impulse,  public  affairs  were  so  complicated  that  what 
was  intended  to  be  a  service  to  the  Empire  proved  to 
be  detrimental  to  the  prime  mover.  An  alliance  by 
marriage  between  the  younger  sister  of  the  Emperor 
and  the  Sh6gun  then  in  power,  having  been  consum- 
mated, this  event  was  followed  by  a  mysterious  break 
between  the  ruling  powers  and  Iwakura,  which  resulted 
in  his  banishment ;  and  in  token  of  his  regret  for  the 
course  he  had  thought  proper  to  pursue  in  connection 

104 


IWAKURA   TOMOMI.  IO5 

with  public  affairs,  when  in  exile  he  performed  the 
customary  operation  of  shaving  his  head,  and  remained 
in  strict  seclusion  at  his  residence  for  a  number  of 
years.  At  that  time,  according  to  the  best  authori- 
ties, he  was  generally  looked  upon  as  a  supporter  of 
the  Bakufu  Government,  and  therefore  disliked  by 
many  of  the  adherents  of  the  Court  party.  Notwith- 
standing this,  several  eminent  men  knew  his  real  aims, 
and  formed  a  means  of  communication  between  him 
and  Saigo  Takamori,  Okubo  Kido  and  other  prominent 
leaders  of  the  Southern  Confederacy,  to  restore  the 
lustre  of  the  Imperial  throne  by  the  overthrow  of  the 
Shogunite.  All  this  was  entirely  unknown  to  the 
Bakufu  officials,  and  it  was  therefore  a  great  surprise 
to  them,  when,  on  the  Restoration  being  acccom- 
plished,  he  was  openly  recognized  as  one  of  the  chief 
leaders  of  the  movement. 

Soon  after  the  formation  of  the  Mikado's  govern- 
ment in  1869,  he  was  appointed  sajiyo^  councillor, 
vice-administrator  and  vice-prime  minister,  all  of 
which  positions  he  resigned,  and  retired  to  private 
life.  In  the  following  year,  however,  he  was  again 
called  upon  to  serve  the  Government ;  was  appointed 
dainagon,  receiving  at  the  same  time  a  pension  of  five 
thousand  kokus  of  rice  as  an  acknowledgment  of  his 
services.  On  a  subsequent  occasion  he  was  sent  by 
the  Emperor  on  a  special  mission  to  Satsuma  and 
Choshiu,  where  he  was  successful  in  conciliating  two 
disaffected  princes,  and  in  causing  them  to  return  to 
Tokio.  In  1871  he  was  appointed  Minister  for 
Foreign  Affairs,  and  was  first  honored  by  a  visit  in 
person  from  the  Emperor,  on  which  occasion  the  latter 
made  the  following  remarks  :  — 

Ever  since  the  restoration  of  our  Imperial  authority  to  the  pristine 
splendor  of  our  ancestors,  you  have  labored  earnestly  and  successfully, 


I06  LEADING    MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

day  and  night,  in  the  administration  of  the  affairs  of  our  kingdom. 
You  have  spared  no  toil  and  known  no  fatigue  in  our  service,  and  it  is 
to  you,  under  the  favor  of  the  gods,  that  we  owe  the  flourishing  con- 
dition of  our  kingdom.  As  a  special  mark  of  our  favor,  we  have  de- 
parted from  the  usual  etiquette  and  have  visited  you  in  person  to  thank 
you  for  your  services. 

Before  the  close  of  that  year  he  was  appointed 
U-daijin,  and  visited  America  and  Europe  as  the  head 
of  the  great  embassy,  numbering  about  fifty  persons, 
in  which  mission  he  was  assisted  by  not  less  than  four 
of  the  leading  men  of  Japan.  The  mission  in  question 
was  successful,  and  Mr.  Iwakura  subsequently  made 
arrangements  to  publish  an  account  of  his  observa- 
tions in  foreign  parts,  which  work  was  duly  issued  in 
five  volumes,  and  illustrated  with  three  hundred 
engravings.  The  first  volume  is  wholly  devoted  to 
the  United  States,  and  exceedingly  interesting. 

On  his  return  in  1872  he  found  the  cabinet  engaged 
\  in  debating  the  question  of  invading  Corea.  He  saw 
that  financial  ruin  must  inevitably  result  from  a  dec- 
i  laration  of  war,  and  opposed  the  project  with  all  his 
influence.  His  Excellency  Sanjo  was  at  the  time  in 
ill  health,  and  the  Emperor  sought  advice  in  the 
difficulty  from  Iwakura.  The  result  may  be  easily 
imagined.  The  war-cloud  dispersed,  and  by  skilful 
negotiation  Japan  obtained  from  Corea  all  the  con- 
cessions desirable.  The  position  taken  by  him  in  the 
Corean  and  other  questions  —  notably  that  of  the 
samurai  pensions  —  raised  against  him  a  host  of 
enemies,  and  on  the  14th  of  January,  1873,  a  desperate 
attempt  was  made  to  assassinate  him  by  nine  ronins 
—  eight  from  Tosa  and  one  from  Satsuma.  Return- 
ing in  the  evening  from  an  interview  with  the 
Emperor,  his  carriage  was  stopped  outside  the  castle 
moat,  close  to  the  gates  of  the  Akasaka  palace. 
Instantly  the  coachman  and  betto  were  cut  down, 


IWAKUKA    TOMOMI. 


107 


and  the  body  of  the  vehicle  pierced  with  sword  and 
spear  thrusts.  Wounded,  but,  fortunately  for  the 
future  of  the  Empire  only  slightly,  Iwakura  leaped 
into  the  moat  and  escaped  under  cover  of  the  dark- 
ness. In  a  few  days  he  was  able  to  attend  to  his 
official  duties,  and  also  plead  for  mercy  to  be  ex- 
tended toward  his  would-be  assassins.  In  commemo- 
ration of  this  narrow  escape  the  Emperor  conferred 
upon  him  the  Japanese  order  of  the  junior  first  rank. 

In  1876  he  accompanied  the  Emperor  on  his 
progress  through  the  northern  provinces,  and  subse- 
quently to  Kioto,  where  he  remained  in  attendance 
upon  the  Sovereign  during  the  Satsuma  rebellion, 
acting  as  his  most  trusted  councillor  while  that  grave 
crisis  was  pending.  Peace  having  been  restored  to 
the  troubled  land  Iwakura  received  the  decoration  of 
the  Rising  Sun  of  the  first-class. 

After  the  cold-blooded  assassination  of  Okubo 
Toshimichi  in  1878,  Iwakura  became,  and  is  still 
considered,  the  most  influential  member  of  the 
Cabinet. 

He  is  a  most  agreeable  man  in  his  manners,  and 
has  had  three  of  his  sons  educated  in  the  United 
States. 


KABAYAMA  SUKENORI. 

HE  was  born  in  Kagoshima,  province  of  Satsuma, 
about  the  year  1837.  After  receiving  a  good 
education  at  the  local  schools,  he  entered  the  public 
service  in  a  subordinate  position,  in  which  his  knowl- 
edge of  letters  and  public  affairs  generally  was  useful. 
In  1868,  when  the  war  of  the  Revolution  commenced, 
he  joined  the  army  under  General  Kawamura,  as  a 
petty  officer,  and  participated  in  all  the  battles  to  the 
end  of  the  struggle,  and  his  bravery  was  proven  by 
the  fact  that  he  was  twice  wounded  in  battle  —  in  one 
of  his  hands  and  one  of  his  shoulders.  After  the  war 
he  returned  to  Kagoshima,  and  was  appointed  Gov- 
ernor of  one  of  the  districts  or  townships  of  Satsuma, 
where  he  remained  two  years,  and  was  then  made 
a  general  in  the  provincial  army. 

When  the  troubles  with  Formosa  began  to  agitate 
the  Government,  he  was  summoned  to  Tokio,  and 
assigned  to  duty  in  the  expedition  against  the  Island, 
having  been  connected  with  it  until  the  end,  and 
having  visited  China  when  the  final  settlement  was 
made. 

When  the  revolt  of  the  discontented  Shizoc  or 
Daimios  of  Satsuma  took  place,  in  1875,  he  was 
forthwith  despatched  to  the  new  seat  of  war.  On 
arriving  there,  he  found  but  few  soldiers  ready  or 
willing  to  stand  by  the  Imperial  Government,  in  de- 
fending the  castle  of  Kumamoto,  but  finally  exerted 

loS 


KABAYAMA   SUKENORI.  lOQ 

such  an  influence  among  them,  that  the  tide  was  soon 
turned,  and  the  soldiers  declared  themselves  ready 
to  do  any  thing  and  every  thing  for  their  country  and 
to  defend  the  castle  to  the  bitter  end.  When  attacked 
by  the  samurai,  under  the  leadership  of  the  elder 
Saigo,  they  fought  with  great  desperation,  but  were 
triumphant.  During  this  siege,  Kabayama  received 
a  severe  wound  in  his  chest,  and  also  in  one  of  his 
feet;  but  fearing  that  this  calamity  might  depress 
his  soldiers,  he  would  not  let  his  injuries  be  known, 
and  though  compelled  to  retire,  he  pretended  that  it 
was  for  some  special  duty,  and  when  he  had  reached 
a  quiet  place,  he  fell  to  the  earth  exhausted.  He  was 
subsequently  taken  to  a  hospital,  and  after  a  few 
weeks  of  suffering,  recovered. 

But  the  rebellion  was  not  yet  ended,  and  he  followed 
in  pursuit  of  Saigo,  and  continued  to  fight  until  the 
rebels  were  all  vanquished. 

After  the  close  of  this  revolt,  he  returned  to  Tokio, 
and  was  assigned  to  new  duties  connected  with  the 
army. 

In  1 88 1  he  was  appointed  to  the  head  of  the 
Metropolitan  Police,  in  Tokio,  which  department  had 
been  organized  originally  by  Kawaji,  and  the  duties 
of  which  were  afterwards  filled  with  great  credit  by 
Oyama,  who  was  his  immediate  predecessor. 

Throughout  his  eventful  life  he  has  proven  himself 
a  brave,  modest,  able  and  silent  man  ;  and  although 
deeply  attached  to  the  elder  Saigo,  when  he  was 
loyal  to  the  Imperial  Government,  he  did  not  hesitate 
to  fight  him  with  all  his  might  on  the  battle  field, 
under  the  influence  of  his  loyalty  for  the  nation  at 
large. 


KAWAJI  TOSHIYOSHI. 

HE  was  born  in  the  province  of  Satsuma,  about 
the  year  1829;  and  although  his  family  was 
somewhat  obscure,  he  received  a  good  native  educa- 
tion, and  early  displayed  abilities  of  a  superior  order. 
On  becoming  of  age  he  attracted  the  attention  of 
Okubo  and  the  elder  Saigo,  and  became  their  friend. 
When  the  latter  came  up  to  Tokio  to  support  the 
Imperial  Government,  an  agreement  was  made  between 
him  and  Kawaji  that  they  would  remain  there  and 
not  return  to  Satsuma.  But  when  the  Corean  ques- 
tion came  up  for  discussion,  and  Saigo  became  dissat- 
isfied and  was  about  to  return  to  Satsuma,  his  followers 
called  upon  Kawaji  to  accompany  him  and  them,  but 
he  refused  to  do  so.  He  also  reminded  them  of  his 
own  and  Saigo's  pledge  made  before  leaving  their 
native  province,  and  said  that  he  intended  to  stand  by 
the  Government  at  all  hazards.  In  recognition  of  his 
loyalty,  he  was  treated  with  the  attention  that  his 
abilities  deserved. 

Having  paid  special  attention  to  the  business  of 
local  government,  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  the 
police  establishment  of  Tokio,  and  as  this  was  in  an 
unsatisfactory  condition,  he  devoted  all  his  energies  — 
he  devoted  all  his  attention  to  a  complete  reform  of 
the  service  then  existing.  His  idea  was  to  have  a 
regular  system  of  armed  police  similar  to  that  existing 
in  France,  and  there  called  gens  d'armes ;  and  in  1878 

no 


KAWAJI   TOSHIYOSHI.  Ill 

he  was  placed  at  the  head  of  a  commission  of  four  or 
five  competent  men,  who  went  to  Europe  for  the  pur- 
pose of  collecting  the  desired  information.  For  his 
services  up  to  that  time  as  the  military  protector  of 
Tokio,  he  had  been  honored  with  the  title  of  the 
third  class.  His  sojourn  in  Europe  lasted  only  a  few 
months,  when  his  health  declined,  and  he  was  obliged 
to  return  to  Japan,  where  he  soon  after  died,  in  1879. 
He  was  a  man  of  fine  personal  appearance,  modest 
and  unobtrusive  in  his  manners,  a  true  lover  of  his 
country,  and  will  long  be  remembered  because  of  his 
honorable  services  in  giving  the  Imperial  city  an 
effective  police  establishment. 


KATSU  AWA. 

HE  was  born  in  the  province  of  Shidzruoka,  but 
for  the  greater  part  of  his  Hfe  was  known  as  a 
Tokio  man.  His  family  was  one  of  influence  and  were 
devoted  to  the  cause  of  Tokugawa.  He  was  reputed 
brave  and  sagacious  even  from  his  youth,  and  was 
well  read  in  the  literatures  of  China  and  Holland, 
as  well  as  of  his  own  country.  In  1855  he  had 
much  to  do  with  the  building  of  the  first  man-of- 
war  ever  built  by  Japan  after  a  foreign  model ;  and 
when  anothej-  ship  was  assigned  to  the  duty  of  taking 
an  embassy  to  San  Francisco,  he  was  assigned  to 
her  command. 

When  the  Tokugawa  Government  for  the  second 
time  sent  an  army  against  Cho-shu,  Katsu  was  the 
man  who  advised  against  the  measure,  and  thereby 
only  displeased  the  Tycoon,  who  accused  him  of 
insincerity  ;  but  his  loyalty  to  the  Emperor  was  firm  ; 
and  after  the  death  of  the  Tycoon  he  was  made 
commander-in-chief  of  the  land  forces,  and  did  much 
to  restore  peace  to  the  distracted  country.  In  these 
efforts  he  was  assisted  by  Okubo  to  a  great  extent ; 
and  they  not  only  did  much  to  prevent  the  fiery 
young  soldiers  of  the  Tycoon  from  fighting  the  army 
of  the  Emperor,  but  were  so  successful  in  pleading 
the  Imperial  cause  that  this  induced  Saigo,  who  was 
then  in  command,  not  to  make  an  attack  upon  the 
city  of  Yedo,  as  had  been  contemplated. 


KATSU    AWA.  113 


When  Admiral  Enomoto  escaped  from  Shimagawa 
Bay  with  the  vessels  of  war  in  which  he  had  been 
fighting  the  Imperial  forces,  it  was  through  Katsu's 
management  that  the  fleet  was  overtaken  and  all 
brought  back  to  the  Bay  of  Yedo.  He  was  sub- 
sequently assigned  to  the  duty  —  with  Okubo  and 
others  —  of  preserving  the  peace  of  the  city  of  Yedo, 
and  for  a  time  did  with  great  difficulty  suppress  the 
rebellious  conduct  of  many  of  the  retainers  of  the 
Tokugawa  family,  who  called  themselves  Sho-gi-tai, 
or  Soldiers  of  Righteousness,  but  could  not  prevent 
the  shedding  of  blood,  and  on  several  occasions  nar- 
rowly escaped  with  his  own  life. 

In  1872  he  was  appointed  Vice  Minister  of  the 
Imperial  Navy,  and  in  the  following  year  rendered 
important  service  at  Kagoshima.  When,  soon  after- 
wards, the  question  of  making  war  upon  Corea,  arose,[ 
he  declared  himself  against  hostilities,  entered  the* 
Cabinet,  and  was  placed  at  the  head  of  the  Navy^ 
Department.  In  that  position,  as  well  as  many 
others,  he  displayed  rare  ability,  and  won  great  popu- 
larity. 

When  the  new  Senate  was  organized  he  was  at 
once  made  a  member  of  that  body  by  appointment, 
but  foreseeing  a  difficulty  between  Saigo  and  Okubo 
in  regard  to  their  diverse  politics  for  the  welfare 
of  Japan  in  1874,  he  resigned  and'  retired  to  pri- 
vate life.  He  next  devoted  himself  to  the  study 
of  literature  and  science,  and  especially  of  chemistry  ; 
he  also  did  much  for  the  welfare  of  the  Commercial 
College  of  Tokio,  and  with  his  private  means  sent 
many  young  men  abroad  for  purposes  of  study,  and 
assisted  in  various  ways  many  poor  people  living  in 
the  interior  of  Japan ;  thereby  doing  much  good  for 
his  country,  and  bringing  great  honor  to  his  name. 


KAWAMOORA   SMIYASHI. 


HE  was  born  in  the  province  of  Satsuma,  Japan, 
about  the  year  1835  ;  received  a  good  educa- 
tion at  best  schools  of  his  country,  and  then  travelled 
in  foreign  countries,  making  the  tour  of  the  world  for 
the  purpose  of  increasing  his  store  of  knowledge. 
During  the  late  revolution  in  Japan  he  firmly  espoused 
the  cause  of  the  Emperor,  and  rendered  good  service 
in  various  positions  of  responsibility,  and  was  subse- 
quently made  Vice-minister  of  the  Navy  Department, 
holding  the  office  until  he  became  a  member  of  the 
Imperial  Cabinet,  when  he  was  placed  at  the  head  of 
the  Navy  Department,  in  which  position  he  still  con- 
tinues. His  knowledge  of  affairs  is  extensive,  and 
his  influence  wide-spread  and  beneficial.  The  editor 
greatly  regrets  that  he  is  unable  to  give  a  more  satis- 
factory account  of  this  eminent  man.  That  he 
belongs  to  one  of  the  oldest  and  best  families  in 
Japan ;  is  an  accomplished  scholar ;  progressive  in 
his  views  of  public  affairs,  and  popular  with  the  peo- 
ple, are  the  only  facts  that  can  be  added  to  what 
has  already  been  stated. 

In  no  department  of  the  public  service  has  Japan 
made  better  progress  than  in  the  building  up  of  her 
navy ;  and  the  zeal  of  Mr.  Kawamoora  has  been  espe- 
cially valuable  to  his  Government.  It  was  through  his 
instrumentality,  that  so  many  young  Japanese  were 
educated  at  the  Naval  Academy  of  the  United  States. 

114 


KIDO   TAKAYOSSI. 

THIS  eminent  statesman  was  born  in  Higo,  the 
province  of  Chosiu,  about  the  year  1830,  and 
belonged  to  the  Negato  clan.  His  father  was  a 
physician  and  in  comfortable  circumstances,  but  the 
boy  had  a  severe  struggle  with  life.  According  to  a 
fashion  of  the  time,  he  became  an  adept  in  the  art  of 
fencing,  and  fortified  with  a  limited  education  in  the 
Japanese  and  Chinese  languages,  he  went  to  Tokio 
and  there  established  a  fencing  school.  He  subse- 
quently went  to  Osaka  in  the  capacity  of  a  porter, 
to  carry  the  baggage  of  a  prince,  he  going  on  foot 
while  his  employer  rode  upon  a  horse.  The  prince 
blamed  the  porter  for  want  of  speed,  and  the  porter 
rebuked  the  prince  for  his  lack  of  feeling,  when  a 
separation  took  place.  The  whilom  porter  entered 
a  fencing  school,  soon  became  a  leading  scholar,  and 
afterwards  had  charge  of  the  establishment ;  and  in 
which,  by  his  honesty  and  boldness  in  directing  his 
pupils,  and  preventing  them  from  taking  undue  ad- 
vantages, he  became  very  popular. 

The  province  of  Ch6siu  was  among  the  first  to 
raise  the  standard  of  revolt  against  the  late  Tycoonate, 
and  having  already  won  some  reputation  as  a  leader, 
he  was  one  of  the  chief  emissaries  in  organizing  the 
army,  and  did  much  toward  securing  the  victories 
which  it  accomplished.  After  the  Tycoon  had  abdi- 
cated, and  the  Emperor  Mutsu  Hito  had  assumed  his 

"5 


Il6  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

rightful  supremacy,  he  was  made  a  member  of  the 
Privy  Council,  serving  in  that  capacity  with  such 
men  as  Iwakura,  Okubo,  Okuma,  and  the  elder  Saigo> 
who  soon  afterward  went  into  retirement,  and  has 
since  been  so  unaccountably  associated  with  the  recent 
rebellion  in  the  province  of  Satsuma. 

When,  in  187 1,  the  Emperor  reconstructed  his 
government,  he  retained  the  presence  of  Kido  at  the 
Board  of  Councillors,  as  he  could  not  be  dispensed 
with.  Although  he  had  not  at  that  time  been  out 
of  Japan,  and  was  unacquainted  with  the  English 
language,  he  was  an  earnest  advocate  of  modern 
methods,  and  was  one  of  the  first  to  recognize  the 
newspaper  press  as  an  element  of  civilization,  and 
founded  at  his  own  expense,  the  daily  journal  called 
Shiiibun  Zasshi,  or.  Miscellany  of  News,  which  is 
still  published  with  the  title  of  Akebono  Shinbzm,  or 
Mornmg  News.  He  was  a  member  of  the  embassy 
which  visited  the  United  States  and  Europe  in 
1872.  When  in  Washington  he  made  it  his  special 
business  to  collect  information  in  regard  to  the  judi- 
ciary, and  had  frequent  and  prolonged  consultations 
with  several  noted  lawyers.  His  questions  on  many 
delicate  points  displayed  great  ability,  and  the  lawyers 
regretted  that  they  were  compelled  to  converse  with 
such  a  man  through  an  interpreter.  He  returned  to 
Japan  before  the  embassy  had  finished  their  mission  ; 
received  soon  afterward  the  appointment  of  Sangi, 
which  he  accepted  and  held  for  a  time;  was  next 
appointed  to  a  distinguished  position  in  the  Imperial 
household,  and  in  the  early  part  of  1875  was  again 
elected  to  the  rank  of  Sangi,  and  was  in  attendance 
upon  the  Emperor  at  Kioto  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  on  the  twenty-seventh  of  May,  1877. 

In  person  he  was  above  the  average  height  of  his 


KIDO   TAKAYOSSI.  II7 


countrymen,  and  in  his  deportment  dignified  if  not 
stern.  If  not  as  popular  with  the  people  as  were 
some  of  his  associates  in  the  Government,  he  was 
nevertheless  a  man  who  commanded  the  highest 
respect  and  confidence  of  his  sovereign  as  well  as  of 
his  countrymen,  and  his  presence  was  greatly  missed 
from  the  councils  of  the  nations. 

A  few  months  after  Kido's  death,  a  number  of 
documents  which  he  had  laid  before  the  Daijo-daijin 
and  the  U-daijin,  were  made  public,  and  as  these  clearly 
expressed  his  opinions  on  the  condition  of  public 
affairs  at  the  time,  the  following  synopses  are  worthy 
of  consideration : 

"  Kido  used  repeatedly  to  say  that  it  was  yet  far 
too  early  to  attempt  any  reform  of  the  land  tax,  or 
the  capitalization  of  the  pensions  of  the  Kwazoku 
and  Shizoku.  The  Government,  however,  was  of  a 
different  opinion. 

"A  Chinese  writer  has  said  that  *when  Govern- 
ment measures  do  not  meet  the  requirements  of  the 
times,  they  should  be  reformed  again  and  again  until 
they  do.'  On  such  a  principle  our  present  Govern- 
ment seems  to  be  acting,  but  the  ancient  sage  did 
not  mean  that  it  would  be  wise  to  issue  a  law  in  the 
morning  and  repeal  the  same  in  the  evening. 

"The  memorial  addressed  by  Kido  to  the  two 
Dai j  in,  was  to  the  following  effect : 

*'  Firstly,  that  the  annual  expenditure  of  the  vari- 
ous Government  departments  should  be  diminished, 
in  order  that  the  taxation  of  the  people  might  be 
reduced. 

"Secondly,  that  local  expenditure  should  be  con- 
trolled by  the  local  authorities,  and  not,  as  now,  by 
the  Government  officials.  It  is  well-known  that  each 
district  has  its  own  peculiar  customs  and  privileges, 


Il8  LEADING   MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

which  can  only  be  properly  understood  by  the  local 
officials,  who  should  have  the  power  of  so  conducting 
local  matters  as  to  suit  them  to  the  special  wants  of 
the  district  under  their  jurisdiction. 

"Thirdly,  that  laws  should  not  always  be  considered 
as  necessary  because  they  appear  to  be  good  in  them- 
selves, but  that  such  laws  as  meet  the  requirements  of 
the  people  should  meet  with  first  consideration. 

"  Fourthly,  that  as  the  Government  is  now  all 
under  one  head,  no  district  should  be  allowed  to 
enjoy  special  privileges  owing  to  any  superior  power 
that  it  may  be  supposed  to  possess,  as  thus  other 
districts  which  are  debarred  from  the  enjoyment  of 
such  privileges,  are  unjustly  treated. 

"  Fifthly,  that  whereas  since  the  demand  for  peoples' 
rights  and  liberties  has  made  itself  heard,  the  country 
has  become  divided  into  two  parties,  Conservative  and 
Progressive,  the  Government  professed  to  be  the 
upholder  of  the  former,  whilst  all  its  actions  favor  the 
policy  of  the  latter.  To  the  proper  solution  of  these 
points  the  Government  must  give  its  most  earnest 
consideration. 

**  The  letter  addressed  by  Kido  to  his  friends  was 
to  the  following  effect : 

"  I  have  laid  before  the  Dai j in  a  memorial  respect- 
ing the  affairs  of  our  country,  but  can  not  tell  how  it 
will  be  received.  What  I  have  to  request  of  you  is 
that  you  will  cooperate  with  me  in  promoting  the 
welfare  of  the  Nation.  Men  who  are  swayed  by 
patriotic  motives  should  not  retain  their  offices  merely 
for  the  sake  of  the  emoluments  attached  to  them.  If 
they  cannot  discharge  the  duties  entrusted  to  them 
according  to  their  conscience,  they  should  at  once 
resign  their  positions.  For  my  own  part  I  intend  to 
resign  my  post,  to  return  to  my  native  province  and 


KIDO    TAKAYOSSI.  II^ 


teach  the  people  there  the  true  road  to  civilization. 
He  who  would  assist  others  must  deny  himself.  I 
therefore  trust  that  you  will  work  with  me,  selling 
your  houses  and  unnecessary  property,  and  endeavor- 
ing to  act  independently. 

"As  I  have  held  high  positions  under  Government 
for  a  number  of  years,  I  am  possessed  of  abundant 
means,  and  if  any  of  you  need  assistance  from  me, 
I  shall  be  most  willing  to  grant  you  whatever  you 
may  require. 

"Though  we  return  to  our  native  province,  it  will 
be  necessary  from  time  to  time  to  come  to  Tokio,  and 
not  remain  in  ignorance  of  what  is  transpiring  around 
us  in  the  world.  I  am  now  building  a  new  house 
which  will  be  available  for  our  meeting  in  Tokio. 

"There  is  another  important  point  which  I  am 
desirous  of  bringing  to  your  notice,  and  that  is,  that 
you  will  guard  yourselves  against  indulging  in  any 
feelings  of  personal  enmity.  This  has  caused  some 
of  our  friends  to  break  the  laws  of  the  country  and  to 
turn  criminal  by  opposing  the  authority  of  the  Gov- 
ernment.    Such  action  is  decidedly  wrong. 

"  But  when  I  say  that  I  shall  return  home  I  do  not 
mean  that  I  shall  entirely  withdraw  from  all  active 
participation  in  the  affairs  of  my  country,  and  trouble 
myself  no  more  concerning  them.  When  I  see  that 
matters  are  going  wrong,  I  shall  come  forward  and 
entreat  the  Government  to  change  its  mode  of  action." 

While  Kido  lived  he  was  the  pillar  of  our  country, 
and  never  lost  sight  of  the  welfare  of  the  people. 
There  can  be  no  question  of  greater  importance  than 
the  reduction  of  the  taxation,  and  of  the  Government 
expenditure.  The  Imperial  decree,  issued  on  the  third 
of  January,  1876,  was  founded  upon  this  memorial  of 
Kido, 


120  LEADING    MEN    Or  JAPAN. 

Some  people  accused  Kido  of  duplicity,  but  judging 
from  his  acts  he  was  a  faithful  patriot,  and  his  untimely- 
death  was  greatly  regretted.  "  There  are,  however," 
wrote  a  Japanese  editor,  "  one  or  two  points  of  Kido's 
conduct  upon  which  we  are  in  the  dark.  He  was  in 
office  at  the  reform  of  the  land-tax,  and  the  capitaliza- 
tion of  the  pensions  of  the  Nobility  and  Gentry.  Now 
if  his  views  were  entirely  against  the  action  of  the 
Government  in  these  matters,  why  did  he  not  uphold 
them ;  and  if  after  repeatedly  urging  them  upon  the 
administration,  he  found  that  it  would  not  act  in 
accordance  with  his  representations,  why  did  he  not 
resign  his  post  ?" 

Again  in  his  letter  the  same  writer  says,  "He  speaks 
as  though  he  intended  immediately  to  resign  his 
position.  Yet  this  letter  was  written  in  December 
last,  and  he  was  still  in  office  when  death  removed 
him  in  June  following.  It  is  true  that  he  may  have 
tendered  his  resignation,  and  that  the  Government 
refused  to  accept  it ;  but  we  have  never  heard  that  such 
was  actually  the  case.  Had  he  but  lived  these  things 
would  doubtless  have  been  made  clear  to  us.  Now 
we  can  only  regret  his  untimely  death. 

*'  P.  S.  The  two  lawyers  to  whom  the  editor  intro- 
duced Mr.  Kido  when  in  Washington,  were  the  late 
Professor  Samuel  Tyler,  and  the  present  Judge  Wal- 
ter Cox  (who  presided  at  the  trial  of  assassin  Guiteau), 
and  it  was  upon  their  suggestion  that  Mr.  Kido  caused 
the  publication  in  Japanese,  in  eight  volumes,  of  TAe 
Spirit  of  LawSi  by  Montesquei." 


KONO  BENKAI. 

HE  was  born  in  the  province  of  Tosa,  and  while 
a  pupil  of  one  of  the  Retainers,  he  was  one 
day  sent  on  an  errand  to  the  house  of  the  Minister 
Tomomi  Iwakura,  with  whom  he  happened  to  have  a 
conversation  on  public  affairs.  The  impression  made 
by  his  remarks  was  such  that  the  Minister  had  him 
appointed  to  a  position  in  the  department  of  law.  On 
a  subsequent  occasion  when  the  Retainer  alluded  to 
above  had  been  arrested  for  some  improper  conduct, 
and  Mr.  Kono  was  sent  to  look  after  the  business,  the 
Retainer  was  very  indignant,  whereupon  Mr.  Kono 
quietly  informed  him  that  while  he  was  now  a  culprit, 
he  himself  was  a  judge,  and  the  punishment  of  the 
law  should  be  properly  inflicted.  He  performed  the 
duties  of  a  judge  for  several  years  with  great  ability 
and  discretion.  He  was  also  made  a  member  of  the 
Senate,  where  he  remained  until  1880,  when  he  was 
placed  at  the  head  of  the  Educational  Department ; 
and  in  1881  he  became  the  minister  for  the  newly 
established  department  of  Agriculture  and  Commerce. 
In  his  political  principles  he  is  liberal  and  progres- 
sive. 

The  honorable  career  of  this  young  man  affords 
another  illustration  of  the  fact  that,  in  Japan,  in  these 
progressive  days,  merit  and  ability,  when  supported 
by  integrity,  are  certain  to  be  fostered  and  protected 
by  the  leading  officials  of  the  Government. 


KURIMOTO-JO-WUN. 

HE  was  born  in  Tokio  in  1821,  and  during  his 
earlier  years  suffered  from  continuous  illness, 
so  that  he  could  not  prosecute  any  studies  of  conse- 
quence ;  but  as  he  advanced  toward  the  period  of 
manhood  he  was  enabled  to  acquire  a  good  medical 
education  at  the  native  schools.  When  in  1850  he 
offered  his  services  to  the  captain  of  a  Dutch  vessel 
recently  arrived  in  the  bay  of  Yedo,  he  drew  upon 
himself  the  ill  will  of  his  countrymen,  and  was 
obliged  to  retire  for  a  time  to  private  life.  In  185 1  he 
went  to  Hokkaido,  or  Yesso,  where  he  conferred  with 
the  native  physicians  and  established  at  Hakodate  a 
medical  school  as  well  as  a  hospital ;  about  the  year 
1857  he  was  appointed  to  an  official  position  at  Hako- 
date ;  subsequently  called  to  Yedo,  where  he  was 
promoted  ;  devoted  some  of  his  time  to  teaching  the 
Japanese  language  to  foreigners,  and  especially  to 
persons  connected  with  the  French  and  other  lega- 
tions then  established  in  Yedo.  It  was  through  his 
influence  that  a  French  school  was  established  in 
Yedo,  and  through  whom  the  tactics  of  the  French 
army  were  transplanted  to  Japan  ;  he  was  also  instru- 
mental in  establishing  an  iron  factory  for  the  use  of 
his  countrymen ;  he  made  a  visit  to  France,  from 
which  he  brought  back  much  information  that  proved 
of  value  to  his  countrymen.  During  his  sojourn  in 
France  he  was  earnestly  invited  to  become  a  perma- 

12Z 


KURIMOTO-JO-WUN.  123 

nent  resident  in  that  country,  but  he  scorned  to  heed 
such  advice.  On  his  return  home  he  was  urged  to 
join  the  army  of  the  Tycoon,  then  fighting  against 
the  Imperial  Government  at  Hakodate,  but  he  declined 
all  such  offers,  and  devoted  himself  to  literature, 
compiling  two  extensive  works  out  of  the  works  of 
famous  travellers  in  various  parts  of  the  world.  Of 
late  years  he  has  been  wholly  occupied  as  a  writer  for 
the  press,  and  as  editor  of  the  Ho-chi-Shimbiui,  or 
Japattcse  Maily  in  which  capacity  he  has  won  a  bril- 
liant reputation.  He  is  a  bold  and  fearless  writer,  but 
entirely  loyal  to  the  ruling  government.  As  a  speci- 
men of  his  style  of  writing,  we  submit  the  following 
translation  of  an  article  from  his  pen  on  the  subject 
of  Education : 

"Two  great  duties  devolve  upon  parents,  namely 
the  rearing  and  the  education  of  their  children.  The 
helplessness  of  an  infant  makes  it  absolutely  depend- 
ent on  its  parents,  and  their  care  is  willingly  bestowed 
upon  it.  When  of  more  mature  years  parents  seek  to 
secure  for  their  children*  the  blessings  of  education, 
so  that  they  may  grow  up  wise,  happy  and  independ- 
ent. All  this  is  or  should  be  a  pleasure  to  parents. 
The  making  of  a  man  is  dependent  on  the  education 
he  receives  when  young  ;  if  carefully  attended  to,  the 
youth  becomes  a  good  or  wise  man,  but  if  neglected 
he  becomes  the  reverse.  It  is  thus  clear  that  parents 
are  equally  bound  to  educate  their  children  properly 
as  to  protect  them  when  infants,  and  if  they  neglect 
either  they  fail  in  their  duty  as  parents. 

"  At  the  present  time  schools  are  established  in 
every  part  of  the  Empire,  which  are  readily  available 
for  those  living  within  the  district,  so  that  the  chil- 
dren of  the  highest  and  the  lowest,  the  rich  and  the 
poor,  can  all  read  and  write.     Education  is,  indeed, 


124  LEADING    MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

widely  spread  throughout  the  country.  But  as  regards 
the  parents  we  find  that  they  only  consider  themselves 
bound  to  maintain  their  children  and  protect  them  in 
infancy,  and  quite  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that  they  are 
responsible  for  their  education,  as  the  present  state  of 
affairs  leads  them  to  suppose  that  it  is  the  duty  of  the 
state  to  educate  their  children,  and  that  they  them- 
selves are  relieved  from  any  obligation  in  this  respect. 
If  their  reasons  for  holding  such  opinions  are  inquired 
into,  they  disclaim  personal  responsibility  because  they 
are  obliged  by  law  to  send  their  children  to  school, 
and  it  is  therefore  no  concern  of  theirs  whether  the 
master  is  competent  to  teach,  or  if  the  children 
receive  a  sound  education.  This  indifference  on  the 
part  of  the  parents  conduces  to  carelessness  and  idle- 
ness on  the  part  of  their  children,  so  that  the  educa- 
tion offered  them  is  too  often  thrown  away. 

"For  this  reason,  if  we  compare  the  present  system 
of  education  with  that  in  vogue  during  the  Shogunate, 
we  cannot  but  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  result 
only  shows  retrogression.  Under  the  Shogunate  the 
extent  of  a  child's  education  depended  on  the  con- 
dition of  his  parents.  The  poor  people  placed  their 
children  under  the  instruction  of  either  Shintd  or 
Buddhist  priests,  while  those  who  could  afford  it  had 
their  children  instructed  by  competent  masters  at 
home,  or  sent  them  to  good  schools  in  the  capital  to 
study  such  special  subjects  as  the  bent  of  their  minds 
or  their  capacity  for  learning  showed  was  desirable. 
In  short,  at  that  time  parents,  high  or  low,  rich  or 
poor,  fully  recognized  the  duty  incumbent  on  them  of 
seeing  that  their  offspring  were  properly  educated, 
and  their  obligation  to  bear  the  cost  of  such  them- 
selves. 

"  But  at  the  present  time,  though  the  country  has 


KURIMOTO-JOWUN.  12$ 

advanced  in  civilization  and  the  people  are  intellectu- 
ally improved,  parents  are  gradually  adopting  the 
belief  that  the  education  of  their  children  is  the 
duty  of  the  state,  and  the  reason  of  this  is  that  at 
present  the  cost  of  such  education  is  borne  by  the 
Government,  or  is  covered  by  local  taxation  which 
therefore  but  indirectly  touches  those  who  are  natu- 
rally responsible. 

"  In  every  country  and  in  every  age  the  want  of 
education  has  been  a  curse,  as  thousands  of  illiterate 
persons,  whose  good  qualities  have  not  had  an  oppor- 
tunity of  development,  are  led  through  ignorance  to 
lead  dissolute  lives,  and  perhaps  eventually  lapse  into 
crime  to  the  great  injury  of  society.  For  this  reason 
it  is  perhaps  as  much  the  duty  of  the  Government  to 
enforce  education  among  the  people  as  it  is  to  estab- 
lish police  and  law  courts  in  order  to  secure  peace  and 
order  in  the  country.  Now  parents  may  have  con- 
veniently adopted  this  view,  without  taking  a  higher 
one  of  their  responsibility,  and  therefore  in  the  long 
run,  beneficial  as  Government  instruction  may  appear 
to  be,  we  imagine  it  is  conducive  of  harm.  If  it  is  the 
duty  of  the  state  to  educate  the  children,  why  should 
they  not  at  once  be  sent  to  the  poor-house  and  there 
maintained  and  educated,  without  causing  any  trouble 
and  anxiety  to  their  parents  ?  Yet  no  one  would  say 
that  such  a  course  would  be  right.  Parents  are  natu- 
rally bound,  if  possible,  to  protect  and  maintain  their 
offspring,  and  there  is  so  close  a  connection  between 
this  duty  and  that  of  attending  to  their  education, 
that  the  one  can  no  more  be  set  aside  than  the  other, 
and  the  responsibility  of  the  latter  should  not  devolve 
on  the  Government.  In  Western  countries  parents 
are  held  responsible  for  the  education  of  their  children, 
and  why  should  they  not  be  so  in  this  country  ? 


126  LEADING   MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

"  Although  much  of  the  present  improved  condition 
of  the  country  is  due  to  our  enhghtened  Government, 
still  much  more  of  it  is  due  to  the  march  of  time. 
And  if  in  the  unenlightened  times  of  the  Shdgunate 
parents  recognized  the  necessity  of  properly  educating 
their  children,  how  much  more  will  they  recognize 
that  necessity 'now  if  they  are  in  no  way  relieved  of 
their  responsibility,  especially  as  they  really  dislike 
the  present  system  of  forced  education,  are  alive  to 
the  retrogressive  result,  and  consequently  place  no 
reliance  on  the  existing  schools  being  able  to  effectu- 
ally benefit  their  children.  Even  now  there  are 
parents  who  prefer  to  rely  on  private  tuition  as  an 
addition  to  the  instruction  obtained  at  the  public 
schools,  and  we  are  sure  that  benefit  would  result 
from  education  being  left  entirely  to  the  free  will  of 
the  parents.  It  would  then  be  to  the  interest  of 
parents  to  take  care  that  the  instructors  of  their  chil- 
dren, whom  they  themselves  would  have  to  pay,  were 
fully  competent  to  perform  the  work  they  undertook, 
so  that  not  only  would  the  masters  themselves  be  kept 
well  up  to  their  work,  but  the  scholars  under  their 
care  would  receive  wider  and  more  exact  instruc- 
tion. Moreover,  it  would  save  a  large  outlay  by 
the  Government,  which  could  be  otherwise  employed 
to  the  good  of  the  country,  and  would  encourage 
parents  to  faithfully  perform  the  duties  alloted  to  them 
by  Nature. 


KURODA  KIYOTAKA. 

GENERAL  KURODA  is  a  member  of  one  of  the 
historic  families  of  the  great  Satsuma  clan, 
and  has  the  reputation,  proved  on  several  trying  occa- 
sions, of  being  a  brave  and  upright  leader,  with  but 
slight  regard  for  pomp  and  ceremonial. 

Prior  to  the  Restoration,  he  allied  himself  with  the 
opponents  of  the  Bakufu  Government,  and  loudly 
expressed  his  dissatisfaction  with  the  arbitrary  con- 
duct of  the  Shogunate  officials,  and  their  contempt- 
uous disregard  of  the  Imperial  authority.  In  conjunc- 
tion with  Saigo  Takamori,  Okubo  Tochimichi,  and 
other  able  leaders,  he  acted  a  prominent  part  in  the 
wars  of  the  Restoration,  and  when  peace  was  reestab- 
lished received  in  recognition  of  his  valuable  services 
the  appointments  of  Privy  Councillor,  Chief  of  the 
Colonization  Department,  and  General  in  the  Army. 

General  Kuroda  then  went  to  Yesso  and  energeti- 
cally devoted  himself  to  the  colonization  of  the  island. 
Under  his  auspices  waste  lands  were  brought  into 
cultivation,  roads  and  bridges  constructed,  and  towns 
and  villages  sprang  into  existence  with  marvellous 
rapidity ;  so  that  whatever  progress  has  attended  the 
settlement  of  the  Hokkaido,  is  in  no  small  degree  owing 
to  his  influence  and  example. 

While  he  was  engaged  in  this  peaceful  work,  the 
Coreans  insulted  the  Japanese  flag  by  firing  upon  the 
Unyo  Kan,  at  Kokwa  bay.    General  Kuroda  was  chosen 

127 


LEADING    MEN    OF  JAPAN. 


ambassador  to  demand  satisfaction  for  the  outrage, 
and  his  dangerous  mission  was  crowned  with  complete 
success.  The  Corean  Government  apologized  for  the 
conduct  of  their  officers,  entered  into  a  treaty  of  amity 
and  commerce  with  this  Empire,  and  opened  Corea  to 
Japanese  trade.  The  valuable  results  of  the  General's 
embassy  are  now  becoming  apparent  in  the  increasing 
importance  of  the  mercantile  relations  springing  up 
between  the  two  countries. 

In  1877  the  formidable  rebellion  in  the  southwest 
found  the  subject  of  this  memoir  appointed  to  the 
command  of  a  division  acting  against  the  enemy. 
Embarking  with  his  soldiers  in  transports,  General 
Kuroda  landed  at  Yashiro,  and  at  once  assumed  the 
offensive.  He  attacked  the  rebels,  who  fled  after  a 
sanguinary  struggle,  abandoning  to  the  victorious  troops 
all  their  arms,  ammunition  and  stores.  General  Kuroda 
then  raised  the  siege  of  the  fortress  of  Kumamoto, 
which  was  closely  invested  by  the  rebels,  and  on  the 
point  of  falling  into  their  hands.  His  forces  being 
augmented  by  the  relieved  garrison.  General  Kuroda 
marched  upon  the  enemy  and  took  part  in  the  closing 
struggle  at  Shiroyama,  when  the  great  Satsuma  rebel- 
lion was  finally  crushed  with  the  death  of  its  mainstay, 
the  redoutable  Saigo. 

General  Kuroda  was  not  overlooked  in  the  distribu- 
tion of  rewards  which  followed  the  restoration  of  peace. 
He  received  the  honorable  distinction  of  the  highest 
rank  of  the  Order  of  the  Rising  Sun. 

The  recent  changes  in  the  Cabinet  have  not  effected 
General  Kuroda,  who  still  retains,  with  advantage  to 
the  Empire,  his  high  offices  of  Privy  Councillor,  Chief 
of  the  Colonization  Department,  and  General  in  the 
Army. 

In  January,  1882,  at  his  own  request.  General  Kuroda 


KURODA    KIYOTAKA.  1 29 

was  relieved  of  his  functions  as  Privy  Councillor  and 
Chief  of  the  Colonization  Commission,  and  appointed 
Cabinet  Adviser  in  the  Imperial  —  one  of  the  most 
honorable  positions  in  the  gift  of  the  Government. 
In  the  meantime  the  Kaitakushi  Department  has  been 
placed  in  charge  of  General  Saigo  (the  younger), 
who  would  seem  to  have  more  than  his  share  of  public 
responsibilities. 


NEESHIMA  JO. 

HE  was  born  near  Yedo,  in  1844,  and  is  one  of 
the  samurai;  studied  navigation,  and  became 
assistant  to  a  Japanese  captain  who  had  charge  of  an 
American  ship  owned  by  a  Japanese  prince.  While 
this  vessel  was  lying  for  several  months  at  Hakodad6, 
he  supported  himself  by  teaching  the  Japanese  lan- 
guage to  a  Greek  priest,  and  at  the  same  acquired  the 
English  language  from  the  clerk  of  a  commercial 
house. 

He  was  early  inspired,  notwithstanding  the  opposi- 
tion of  his  parents,  with  the  wish  to  become  a  Chris- 
tian teacher  to  his  own  people,  and  with  that  object 
in  view,  he  secreted  himself  in  the  cabin  of  a  ship, 
with  an  American  captain,  bound  for  China.  He  was 
discovered  in  this  hiding-place  after  the  ship  was  out 
to  sea,  and  the  captain  allowed  him  to  work  his  pas- 
sage. He  remained  in  China,  where  he  sold  his  two 
swords,  about  nine  months,  and  then  sailed  for 
America  from  Shangai,  in  a  ship  bound  for  Boston. 
On  this  voyage  he  taught  the  captain  the  Dutch  lan- 
guage, and  in  other  ways  assisted  him  so  as  to  obtain 
a  free  passage. 

The  captain  became  much  attached  to  him,  and  on 
his  arrival  in  Boston  introduced  him  to  his  employer, 
who  kindly  put  him  in  the  way  of  obtaining  an  educa- 
tion. 

Early  in  his  career  he  translated  the  gospel  of  St. 
130 


NEESHIMA  JO.  I3I 


John  into  Japanese,  and  dated  his  true  conversion  to 
the  full  appreciation  of  the  thirteenth  verse  of  the 
third  chapter  of  that  book. 

When  the  Japanese  Embassy  were  in  Washington 
he  was  sent  for  by  Mr.  Mori,  and  became  assistant  to 
Mr.  Tanaki  on  a  tour  to  examine  the  educational 
institutions  of  this  country.  He  went  with  the 
embassy  to  Europe  in  the  same  capacity,  and  when 
they  left  for  Japan,  he  returned  to  Massachusetts  and 
pursued  a  theological  course  for  two  years  ;  after 
which  he  went  as  a  missionary  to  his  native  land. 

He  took  the  name  of  Joseph  at  his  baptism,  his  sec- 
ond Japanese  name  being  Jo  ;  and  he  is  now  known 
as  the  most  influential  and  zealous  native  teacher  of 
the  Christian  religion  in  Japan.  He  has  established 
a  school  for  young  men  in  Kioto ;  is  married,  and 
lives  in  a  pleasant  home  after  the  American  fashion ; 
teaches  natural  philosophy  in  the  Kioto  college,  and 
spends  much  of  his  time  in  preaching  the  truths  of 
the  Bible  to  his  countrymen.  He  has  also  written 
and  published  one  or  more  books  bearing  on  the 
history  of  Christianity,  and  edited  several  others. 
There  was  a  time,  in  his  early  years,  when  he  was  dis- 
posed to  become  an  atheist,  but  all  such  ideas  were 
abandoned  long  ago ;  and  in  the  eyes  of  the  Christian 
world  at  least,  he  occupies  to-day  one  of  the  most 
noble  and  honorable  positions  that  could  fall  to  the 
lot  of  any  man. 


MIURA  GORO. 

MIURA  GORO  is  a  member  of  the  Choshiu 
clan,  his  family  name  being  Ando,  which  was 
changed,  in  accordance  with  Japanese  custom,  on  his 
being  adopted  by  his  father-in-law,  Miura,  whose 
property  he  has  inherited.  The  subject  of  this  sketch 
was  distinguished  during  his  boyhood  and  youth  for 
his  fearless  disposition  and  the  extreme  devotion 
which  he  paid  to  his  studies,  more  especially  those 
dealing  with  military  subjects. 

When  the  Bakufu  Government  despatched  an  expe- 
dition against  the  Prince  of  Choshiu,  Miura  joined 
the  late  Mr.  Takugi,  General  Yamagata,  and  other 
influential  leaders,  in  exhorting  the  members  of  the 
sept  to  show  a  firm  front  and  oppose  the  threatened 
danger.  Their  exertions  were  crowned  with  success, 
and  the  men  of  Choshiu,  fired  with  patriotic  enthusi- 
asm, determined  to  repel  the  invaders  of  their  hearths 
and  homes  or  die  resisting  gallantly  to  the  last. 

The  result  of  the  expedition  is  history.  Miura, 
at  the  head  of  a  detatchment  operating  on  the 
Kokura  road,  contributed  in  no  small  measure  to 
the  frustration  of  the  efforts  of  the  assailants,  who, 
beaten  in  several  severe  engagements,  withdrew  their 
shattered  forces  to  a  place  of  safety.  Owing  to  the 
altered  condition  of  political  affairs  the  invasion  of 
Choshiu  was  abandoned,  the  Bakufu  authorities  being 
engaged   in  a   struggle   for  existence   in   the   north 

132 


MIURA    GORO.  133 


against  the  constantly  increasing  power  of  the  Impe- 
rial party. 

Miura  took  a  prominent  part  in  the  wars  of  the 
Restoration,  and  commanded  the  Imperial  forces 
entrusted  with  the  task  of  reducing  the  province 
of  Echigo  to  submission.  The  fruits  of  early  train- 
ing matured  in  the  stern  school  of  later  years  were 
now  made  fully  apparen  t.  Miura  gained  a  series  of 
brilliant  victories  over  the  rebel  army  opposed  to  him, 
inflicting  defeat  so  crushing  that  when  the  campaign 
closed  the  royal  authority  was  firmly  established,  and 
the  malcontents  dispersed. 

When  peace  was  reestablished  Miura  was  appointed 
lieutenant-general  in  the  army,  and  has  since  received 
the  insignia  of  the  Japanese  Order  of  the  fourth 
class. 

In  1 876  the  standard  of  revolt  was  raised  by  Mai- 
bara  Issei,  and  Miura,  then  in  command  of  the  gar- 
rison at  Osaka,  took  the  field  at  the  head  of  troops 
hurriedly  got  together  for  the  purpose  of  quelling 
the  rising  before  it  had  time  to  attain  formidable 
proportions.  Miura  executed  a  forced  march  to  Higi 
and  encountered  the  rebels  in  several  engagements, 
the  result  being,  that  the  armed  opposition  to  the 
Government  was  first  localized,  and  then  stamped 
out. 

Scarcely  had  this  service  been  successfully  accom- 
plished than  the  Satsuma  rebellion  broke  out,  taxing 
all  the  resources  of  the  Government  and  the  utmost 
skill  and  energy  of  the  Imperial  leaders.  Miura,  at 
the  head  of  one  corps  d*  ann^e  took  a  prominent  part 
in  all  the  momentous  struggles  of  that  eventful 
p)eriod.  In  Higo,  Osumi,  and  wherever  hard  blows 
were  struck  and  danger  to  be  encountered,  Miura 
was  to  be  found  in  the  forefront  of  the  battle,  leading 


134  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

his  men  with  the  most  desperate  bravery  and  a  con- 
tempt of  death  which  compelled  the  admiration  of 
the  foe  and  excited  the  emulation  of  his  followers. 
At  last  the  sanguinary  struggle  was  closed  with  the 
crowning  episode  of  Shiroyama,  and  the  forces  were 
enabled  to  rest  after  their  arduous  toils  and  painful 
sacrifices.  Miura  was  not  overlooked  when  the  dis- 
tribution of  rewards  for  faithful  services  and  daunt- 
less courage  took  place.  Promotion  to  the  rank  of 
general,  and  the  Order  of  the  Rising  Sun  of  the 
second  class,  were  allotted  to  the  warrior  who,  in  the 
full  enjoyment  of  mental  and  bodily  vigor,  is  now, 
as  ever,  ready  to  furnish  with  his  victorious  sword 
the  material  for  another  chapter  in  the  history  of  his 
country,  should  the  circumstances  of  the  nation  again 
demand  his  services. 


MORI   ARINORI. 

HE  was  born  in  the  province  of  Satsuma  in  1846, 
and,  as  a  boy,  enjoyed  all  the  advantages  per- 
taining to  the  retainers  of  the  local  Daimio.  He  was 
among  the  first  of  those  students  who  were  sent  to 
England  to  be  educated,  and  after  residing  in  London 
for  two  years  he  returned  to  Japan.  During  the  re- 
bellion which  soon  culminated  in  the  restoration  of 
the  Mikado,  his  sympathies  were  with  the  progressive 
party,  and  it  was  not  long  before  he  became  a  member 
of  the  newly-organized  national  legislature,  and  in 
which,  notwithstanding  his  age,  he  made  a  decided 
impression.  He  introduced  among  others,  a  proposi- 
tion to  abolish  the  wearing  of  two  swords  by  the  priv- 
ileged classes,  and  the  opposition  to  it  was  so  desper- 
ate as  to  endanger  his  personal  safety,  and  the  result 
was  that  he  retired  from  public  life  for  a  time  ;  and 
while  in  the  seclusion  of  his  country  home,  he  subse- 
quently had  the  satisfaction  of  being  informed  that  his 
ultra  proposition  had  been  successful.  Not  only  so, 
but  several  years  afterward,  when  he  was  in  Washing- 
ton, he  presented  to  the  museum  of  the  War  Depart- 
ment, a  sword  which  had  been  given  to  him  by  a 
Japanese  gentleman,  then  travelling  in  this  country, 
who  had  formerly  been  one  of  his  bitterest  opponents 
in  the  legislature,  and  who  had  voluntarily  abandoned 
the  wearing  of  his  swords. 

He  was  the  first  Japanese  who,  under  the  Restoration, 
135 


136  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

was  appointed  to  a  foreign  mission,  and  in  March, 
1 87 1,  while  bearing  the  title  of  Jugoi,  he  presented 
his  credentials  at  Washington  as  cJtarge  d'affaires, 
where  he  remained  two  years.  The  duties  which  de- 
volved upon  him  during  that  period  were  novel  and 
arduous  but  performed  with  credit  to  himself  and  were 
beneficial  to  his  country.  Not  only  did  he  perform 
his  ordinary  diplomatic  duties,  but  he  was  obliged  to 
exercise  a  kind  of  supervision  over  the  large  number  of 
students  then  in  this  country,  and  in  one  sense  had 
charge  of  all  the  arrangements  and  ceremonies  con- 
nected with  the  advent  and  the  sojourn  in  this  country 
of  the  Iwakura  Embassy.  In  the  meantime,  but  more 
in  a  private  capacity  than  as  minister,  he  greatly  in- 
terested himself  in  the  cause  of  education,  and  caused 
the  publication,  for  the  benefit  of  his  countrymen,  of 
a  work  on  the  Resources  of  America,  another  on  Edu- 
cation for  Japan,  and  several  pamphlets  on  kindred 
subjects,  one  of  them  on  Religious  Freedom  in  Japan. 

It  was  in  the  latter  part  of  1871  that  Hamilton 
Fish,  then  Secretary  of  State,  informed  Mr.  Mori  of 
the  existence  in  his  Department  of  the  Indemnity 
Fund,  which  the  Secretary  said  really  belonged  to 
Japan,  and  should  be  returned  :  and,  true  to  his 
instincts,  Mr.  Mori  immediately  replied :  "  If  that 
money  is  returned,  I  shall  propose  to  found  a  great 
library  in  the  city  of  Tokio."  There  was  much  talk 
upon  the  subject  at  the  time,  and  the  press  discussed 
the  question  in  a  friendly  manner,  but  after  the  lapse 
of  ten  years  the  great  Congress  of  the  United  States 
had  failed  to  reach  a  settlement,  thereby  proving  that 
the  majority  of  our  legislators  were  as  mean  and  cov- 
etous in  their  manner  of  doing  business  as  they  were 
narrow-minded  and  ignorant. 

Mr.  Mori  returned  to  Japan  by  the  way  of  Europe, 


MORI    ARIXORI.  137 


and  was  thereby  enabled  to  profit  by  further  experi- 
ences in  foreign  lands.  For  a  brief  period  after  reach- 
ing home  he  took  no  special  part  in  public  affairs,  but 
as  was  his  wont  at  all  times,  he  watched  the  course  of 
affairs  with  interest.  In  1874  he  entered  the  office  of 
Foreign  Affairs  as  the  First  Secretary ;  his  next  posi- 
tion was  that  of  Second  Assistant  Minister  in  the 
Foreign  Office  ;  he  afterward  went  to  China  as  Min- 
ister Plenipotentiary ;  returned  home  again  and  was 
made  the  First  Assistant  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs; 
and  in  the  latter  part  of  1879  he  was  accredited  Min- 
ister Plenipotentiary  to  Great  Britain.  By  his  friends 
this  was  considered  a  well-deserved  compliment,  and 
proved  that  his  public  career  in  various  positions  had 
won  the  approval  of  his  Government.  Before  leaving 
Japan  on  his  new  mission  he  announced  a  change  in 
the  spelling  of  his  name  from  what  it  had  hitherto 
been,  to  that  of  Maury.  What  was  his  object  is  not 
known  to  the  writer,  but  his  right  to  make  the  change 
was  not  questioned.  At  the  same  time  those  of  his 
countrymen  who  had  ever  been  ready  to  criticise  his 
acts  as  a  public  man,  because  of  his  advanced  ideas, 
did  not  scruple  to  make  a  handle  of  the  new  name  for 
their  amusement.  It  would  seem  indeed  that  the 
more  his  facetious  countrymen  criticised  his  political 
opinions,  or  his  tastes  as  a  private  gentleman,  the 
more  indifferent  did  he  become  to  their  carping  crit- 
icisms;  and  when  they  found  that  they  could  not 
make  him  angry,  the  more  angry  did  they  thems.elves 
become. 


MOSHITSU  OTSUKI. 

THIS  man,  like  Genpaku  Sujita,  mentioned  else- 
where in  this  volume,  was  one  of  those  whose 
labors  as  a  scholar  paved  the  way  to  the  era  of  prog- 
ress now  enjoyed  by  Japan.  He  was  a  native  of 
Sendai,  and  went  to  Yedo  when  quite  young  and  joined 
the  Translating  Society  which  had  been  founded  by 
Genpaku.  In  his  plan  of  operations,  he  had  in  view 
a  knowledge  of  medicine  as  well  as  an  acquaintance 
with  the  treasures  of  Dutch  literature  generally.  He 
made  one  or  more  pilgrimages  to  Nagasaki,  in  the 
hope  of  obtaining  superior  facilities  for  study  in  that 
city,  and  having  returned  to  Yedo,  he  published  a 
work  entitled  Steps-  to  the  Dutch  Langtiagey  which 
was  considered  as  an  invaluable  work  for  those  who 
desired  to  know  more  about  foreign  lands.  One  of 
the  results  of  this  success  was  that  many  men  of  note 
asked  the  privilege  of  becoming  a  pupil  of  the  suc- 
cessful Japanese-Dutch  scholar.  It  was  about  that 
time  — in  1807  —  that  the  Tycoon  was  led  to  believe 
that  Russia  and  England  had  some  sinister  designs 
respecting  the  invasion  of  Japan,  whereupon  Moshitsu 
was  ordered  to  compile  an  account  of  those  countries 
from  the  Dutch  books,  which  duty  he  faithfully  per- 
formed. For  this  labor  he  was  regularly  compensated 
for  many  years  ;  until  1822 ;  and  it  is  said  that  this  was 
the  first  instance  of  the  Tycoon's  Government  directly 
encouraging  Western  learning. 

138 


MOSHITSU    OTSUKI.  1 39 

The  books  of  this  author  were  numerous.  He  pub- 
lished a  revised  edition  of  the  Analytical  Anatomy 
first  issued  by  Genpaku ;  also  Strange  News  of  the 
Seas,  and  many  volumes  of  miscellaneous  essays. 
He  had  a  son  named  Genkan,  who  was  also  a  fine 
scholar,  and  rendered  valuable  assistance  to  the  Gov- 
ernment by  his  pen. 


MUMETA  GENJIRO. 

MUMETA  GENJIRO  was  a  native  of  Wakasa. 
He  was  famous  for  his  literary  acquirements, 
and  often  went  to  Yedo,  where  he  associated  on 
friendly  terms  with  Fujita  Hio,  Sakuma  Shozan  and 
Fujimori  Kowan.  When  he  was  over  thirty  years  old 
he  removed  to  Kioto  and  opened  a  school.  After- 
ward he  visited  Choshiu  and  became  intimate  with 
Takasugi  Shinsaku,  Hisazaka  Gisuke  and  Miokoji 
Seikio.  He  was  a  very  courageous  man  and  con- 
stantly referred  to  the  subject  of  the  Son  O  Jo-i  and 
framed  a  plan  of  his  own  for  the  defence  of  the  sea- 
coast.  In  the  ninth  month  of  the  first  year  of  Ansel, 
1854,  a  Russian  man-of-war  arrived  in  Osaka  bay,  and 
the  people  residing  in  that  neighborhood  earnestly 
watched  the  behavior  of  the  strangers.  At  this  time 
the  peasantry  of  Totsugawa,  in  Yamato,  became  much 
excited  and  organized  a  band  of  soldiers,  appointing 
Mumeta  Genjiro  as  their  leader,  for  the  purpose  of 
driving  away  the  intruder  from  the  coast  of  Japan. 
But  before  they  had  made  complete  preparations  for 
action,  the  ship  departed  of  its  own  accord.  Thus 
their  intentions  failed.  Soon  afterward,  vessels  of 
the  United  States  of  America,  France  and  England 
frequently  came  between  Musashi  and  Sagami,  and 
their  presence  caused  great  irritation.  Nevertheless 
the  Bakufu  Government  could  not  prevent  them  from 
coming  close  to  the  shore.      The  Imperial  Govern- 

140 


MUMETA   GENJIRO.  I4I 

ment  frequently  issued  orders  to  the  Bakufu,  and 
instructed  them  to  drive  away  the  foreign  barbarians 
from  the  borders  of  the  Empire,  but  the  authorities  at 
Yedo  took  offence  and  instead  of  complying,  made 
arrangements  to  negotiate  treaties  and  carry  on  trade. 
Genjiro,  on  hearing  of  this  intention,  became  anxious 
about  the  non-performance  of  the  Imperial  commands, 
so  he  gathered  together  a  number  of  influential  friends 
and  addressed  them  as  follows :  If  we  depend  upon 
the  weak  Bakufu  to  conduct  our  national  affairs,  it 
will  be  difficult  to  clear  away  foreigners  and  prevent 
them  from  coming  into  our  waters.  I  have  heard 
that  Nariaki,  the  lord  of  Mito,  is  an  eminent  man  and 
a  patriot.  He  has  designed  a  scheme  of  Son  O  Jo-i 
and  prepared  for  the  defence  of  the  sea-coast,  and  his 
soldiers  are  superior  to  any  others.  He  has  often  sent 
in  his  view  of  the  situation  to  the  Tokugawa  rulers, 
and,  on  the  other  hand,  he  offers  his  loyal  service  to  the 
Kioto  court  as  well.  Thus  his  conduct  is  honorable, 
and  his  action  trustworthy,  and  we  should  unite  in 
asking  the  Imperial  officers  to  appoint  him  leader  of 
a  band  of  patriots,  in  order  that  measures  may  be 
taken  to  maintain  our  country  in  peace  and  tranquility 
for  the  future.  Favor  me  with  your  views  upon  this 
subject."  All  the  party  quite  sympathized  with  the 
proposal  of  Genjiro.  Then  they  sent  a  document 
secretly  to  the  chief  authorities  in  Kioto,  Seiren  in  no 
Miya,  Konoye  Tada-aki,  Sa  Dai  Jin,  Takatsukasa 
Sukeaki,  U  Dai  Jin,  Sanjo  Sanehisa,  Nai  Dai  Jin,  Kuga 
Tatemichi,  Dainagon,  Ichijo,  Saneyoshi,  Dainagon  and 
Nakayama  Tadayoshi,  Dainagon.  The  Imperial  Gov- 
ernment praised  their  loyalty  and  sent  instructions  to 
Nariaki  to  expel  the  foreigners  on  their  appearance. 
At  this  time,  li  Camon  no  Kami  sent  Nagano  Shujen, 
his  retainer,  to  Kioto  for  the  purpose  of  persuading  the 


142  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

authorities  there  to  agree  to  a  treaty  with  the  strangers. 
This  messenger,  hearing  about  the  secret  document  of 
Genjiro,  reported  the  particulars  to  his  master.  Then 
li  became  alarmed  and  privately  directed  Shujefi  to 
seek  out  the  names  of  the  members  of  Genjiro' s  party. 
Neither  Genjiro  himself  nor  any  of  his  associates 
knew  that  their  plans  were  thus  discovered,  so  they 
proceeded  with  their  purpose  and  continued  to  com- 
municate with  the  authorities  or  the  Kieto  council. 

Just  then  Tokugawa  Yoshihiro,  Dainagon,  Matsu- 
daira  Yoshinaga,  Chusho,  Yamanouchi  Toyonobu, 
Shosho,  and  Date  Muneki,  Totomi  no  kami,  proposed 
to  have  Hitotsubashi  Keiki,  Kiobu  Kio,  summoned  to 
Kioto  castle  and  proclaimed  as  the  successor  to  the 
Shogunate,  since  it  was  expected  that  the  actual  Shogun 
would  shortly  die  and  it  was  their  desire  to  secure  the 
office  for  one  who,  they  believed,  would  carry  out  the 
law  of  prohibiting  foreigners  from  coming  to  Japan. 
They  sent  Hashimoto  Sanai  and  Kusakabe  Isanji  to 
Kioto  to  manage  this  business  secretly.  One  day  they 
told  Kobayashi,  Sab-dayu  of  Minbu,  that  the  Bakufu, 
being  afraid  of  foreigners,  could  not  drive  them  away 
if  they  chose  to  come,  and  added  :  "  We  recommend- 
Hitotsubashi  Keiki,  the  seventh  son  of  Nariaki,  Daimio 
of  Mito,  an  illustrious  and  popular  man  and  one  who 
hasa  formidable  plan  for  the  expulsion  of  the  strangers, 
as  a  suitable  successor  to  the  Siagunate  and  a  proper 
representative  of  the  Tokugawa  family  in  conducting 
the  affairs  of  the  nation."  Kobayashi,  on  listening  to 
the  proposal  of  the  two  men,  was  persuaded  to  agree 
with  them,  and  used  all  his  influence  to  assist  their 
design.  Finally  the  Imperial  Government  sent  a  secret 
order  to  Hitotsubashi  to  come  from  Mito  to  Kioto  castle, 
li  Kamon-no-Kami,  on  hearing  of  this  secret  order, 
immediately  nominated  Tokugawa   lyeshige,  lord  of 


MUMETA    GENJIRO.  I43 

Kii,  as  the  immediate  successor  of  the  existing  Sh6- 
gun.  But  this  prince,  being  then  but  a  child,  did 
not  understand  public  affairs,  therefore  li  Kamon  no 
Kami  was  enabled  to  selfishly  wield  the  power  which 
he  held,  regardless  of  popular  opinion.  Genjiro 
increased  in  anger  on  witnessing  the  conduct  of  the 
Tairo,  li,  and  of  the  authorities  of  the  Bakufu  council. 
In  the  third  month  of  the  fifth  year  of  Ansei,  li  sent 
Mabe  Jensho,  kakuro,  to  Kioto,  as  if  to  inquire  after 
the  health  of  the  Emperor,  and  this  messenger  pre- 
sented gold  and  silk  to  the  sovereign  and  also  to  the 
high  authorities  and  members  of  the  nobility.  Thus 
he  laid  his  schemes  for  the  purpose  of  getting  into 
favor  with  them,  and  he  gradually  took  opportunity  to 
explain  the  benefits  of  foreign  intercourse  and  trade. 
He  also  contrived  the  arrest  of  Genjiro  and  his  com- 
rades, numbering  more  than  thirty,  and  threw  Seirenin 
no  Miya  and  several  other  ministers  and  noblemen 
into  confinement.  This  proceeding  was  known  by  the 
name  of  the  "  Calamity  of  Bogo  "  (Bogo  being  another 
name  for  the  fifth  year  of  Ansei).  Genjiro  was  impris- 
oned and  addressed  him  thus :  "  You  did  not  respect 
the  Bakufu  and  participated  in  a  secret  move- 
ment by  the  name  of  Jo-i.  You  must  have  been 
beguiled  into  doing  so  by  some  other  person. 
Acknowledge  it  without  fail."  The  reply  of  Genjiro 
was  that  he  knew  nothing  but  a  great  principle  in  the 
Son  O  Jo-i.  The  officials  examined  him  many  times 
in  a  day,  sometimes  beat  him  unmercifully,  and  some- 
times inflicted  the  punishment  of  compelling  him  to 
hold  up  for  many  hours  a  heavy  stone.  While  he  was 
almost  exhausted  and  breath  had  nearly  left  him,  he 
repeated  that  he  knew  nothing  else  but  the  principle 
of  Son  O  Jo-i,  and  he  had  not  uttered  any  thing  else. 
The  torture  which  he  had  undergone  made  him  appear 


144  LEADING   MEN   OF  JAPAN. 

at  the  point  of  death,  but  the  attendants  took  great 
care  to  revive  him  and  so  he  gradually  recovered  his 
health.  In  the  twelfth  month  of  the  same  year  he 
and  the  others  of  his  party,  more  than  thirty  prisoners 
altogether,  were  sent  to  Yedo,  and  while  he  was 
imprisoned  in  a  jail  of  Kokura  Han,  he  died  at  the 
age  of  forty-four.  This  happened  on  the  fourteenth 
of  the  ninth  month,  the  sixth  year  of  Ansei,  i860. 


NAGANORI   ASANO. 

THIS  gentleman,  who  is  still  quite  young,  is  a 
member  of  the  nobility,  and  was  born  near 
Osaka.  He  was  highly  educated,  and  is  recognized 
as  a  man  of  superior  abilities.  He  was  formerly  a 
member  of  the  Japanese  Senate ;  received  the  order 
of  the  second  rank  for  his  services ;  is  noted  for  his 
liberality;  and  in  1882  was  appointed  Minister  Pleni- 
potentiary to  Italy.  In  his  letter  of  credence,  the 
Emperor  of  Japan  spoke  of  him  as  "faithful  and 
prudent,  as  well  as  diligent  and  exact  in  business," 
and  had  no  doubt  he  would  be  kindly  received  by  the 
Emperor  of  Italy.  His  predecessor  in  Italy  was 
Nabeshima  Naotake,  who  is  also  a  member  of  the 
nobility.  It  is  a  hopeful  sign  for  Japan  that  men  of 
the  stamp  here  mentioned,  members  of  the  nobility 
and  wealthy,  should  be  willing  to  serve  their  govern- 
ment as  envoys  to  foreign  countries ;  and  the  fact  is 
in  keeping  with  another  custom,  which  has  prevailed 
for  a  dozen  years  or  more,  of  giving  the  most  obscure 
men  all  the  rewards  of  office  to  which  their  abilities 
entitle  them. 

The  commercial  intercourse  between  Japan  and 
Italy  has  been  far  more  intimate  than  is  generally 
supposed,  and  the  policy  is  a  sound  one  which  induces 
Japan  to  send  to  Italy  men  of  practical  experience  and 
ability  to  represent  her  interests  in  regard,  especially, 
to  the  culture  of  silk. 

"45 


NARUSHIMA   KIUHOKU. 

THIS  distinguished  journalist  was  born  about  the 
year  1837,  i^  the  city  of  Tokio,  and  his  family 
had  long  been  closely  identified  with  the  Tokugawa 
dynasty.  He  displayed  extraordinary  talents  even  in 
his  youth,  and  rapidly  became  a  master  of  the  Chinese 
and  Japanese  languages  and  history.  In  his  eighteenth 
year  he  was  sufficiently  advanced  in  his  studies  to 
become  a  regular  instructor  in  the  family  of  the  Tycoon. 
It  was  not  long  after  that  time  that  he  became  dissat- 
isfied with  the  policy  and  inaction  of  the  Government, 
and  boldly  proclaimed  his  opinions.  This  course  made 
him  unpopular  with  the  ruling  powers,  and  he  con- 
soled himself  by  leading  a  free  and  easy  life,  and 
occasionally  writing  a  satirical  poem  on  public  affairs ; 
his  official  connection  with  the  Government  was  severed, 
and  he  was  for  a  time  imprisoned  for  performing  a 
part  allied  to  the  English  Junius,  only  that  he  did 
not  condescend  to  do  any  thing  secretly. 

He  next  turned  his  attention  to  the  study  of  the 
Dutch  language,  and  at  the  end  of  three  years  was 
quite  a  proficient ;  for  this  course  he  was  severely 
criticised,  and  was  even  threatened  with  assassination, 
but  he  went  on  his  own  way  rejoicing,  and  not  caring 
for  what  people  thought  or  said  about  his  conduct. 

In  1865,  however,  public  opinion  experienced  some- 
thing of  a  change,  and  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  a 
body  of  cavalry ;   in  this  position  he  acquitted  him- 

146 


NARUSHIMA    KlUHOKU.  14/ 

self  SO  well,  that  when  he  petitioned  to  the  Govern- 
ment that  the  tactics  of  the  French  army  should  be 
engrafted  on  the  old  Japanese  policy,  his  prayer 
received  a  favorable  answer.  According  to  his  saga- 
cious mind,  he  saw  that  trouble  was  looming  up  in 
the  distance,  and  for  two  years  he  dropped  all  his 
literary  pursuits,  and  devoted  himself  exclusively  to 
military  affairs.  He  now  perceived,  however,  that 
the  fortunes  of  the  Bakufu  were  waning,  and  he 
retired  to  private  life.  But  in  this  position  he  was 
not  permitted  to  remain,  for  he  was  forthwith  called 
upon  to  perform  the  duties  of  a  commissioner  in  the 
Treasury  Department,  as  well  as  in  a  second  position 
connected  with  foreign  affairs. 

When  the  Tycoon  Keike  had  committed  a  certain 
act  reflecting  on  the  Emperor,  he  was  advised  by 
Narushima  to  visit  Kioto  and  apologize  to  the  Emperor, 
but  the  advice  was  not  taken  ;  and,  subsequently,  when 
the  Imperial  army  came  to  Yedo,  and  the  retainers  of 
the  Tycoon  advised  him  to  take  his  own  life  and  thus 
save  his  followers,  Narushima  advised  against  this, 
and  finally  the  retainers  agreed  with  him.  From  that 
time,  however,  he  never  visited  the  Court  of  the 
Tycoon,  and  again  retired  to  private  life,  begging  his 
friends  to  consider  him  thereafter  as  one  of  the 
common  people.  Then  it  was  that  he  not  only 
resumed  his  literary  studies,  but,  after  travelling 
extensively  over  his  own  country,  he  made  a  pro- 
tracted tour  through  Europe  and  America,  returning 
to  Japan  fully  supplied  with  important  knowledge 
of  public  affairs  throughout  the  world.  He  was  next 
called,  after  the  Restoration,  to  an  honorable  position 
connected  with  the  Senate,  but  declined  the  office; 
not  long  afterwards  he  became  the  editor  of  the  CJw- 
ya  Sliimbun  (Daily  News),  in  Yedo,  which  acquired 


148  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

an  extensive  circulation;  he  also  published  a  number 
of  valuable  books,  and  did  much  to  promote  the  cause 
of  literature.  During  the  Satsuma  Rebellion  he  went 
to  Kioto,  where  he  wrote  many  important  letters 
which  were  printed  in  his  journal.  Among  his 
countrymen  he  is  reputed  to  be  a  very  eloquent 
writer,  a  man  of  uncommon  sense  and  sagacity,  a 
true  patriot,  and  an  able  poet.  As  to  his  newspaper, 
it  is  to  Japan  what  the  London  Times  is  to  England  — 
an  institution  of  superior  power. 

And  here,  by  way  of  giving  the  reader  a  taste 
of  his  quality  as  a  writer,  we  append  the  following 
translation  of  an  article  which  appeared  in  his  paper 
in  August,  1876,  on  Class  Privileges: 

"  We  have  already  published  articles  applauding 
and  commending  the  step  which  our  Government  has 
determined  upon  —  namely  to  abolish  the  paying  of 
hereditary  pensions  to  the  nobles  and  samurai,  and, 
instead,  to  issue  to  them  in  bonds  during  the  space  of 
thirty  years,  such  sums  of  money  as  will  serve  as  a 
capital  whereby  they  may  acquire  a  livelihood ;  and 
we  have  at  the  same  time  given  some  advice  to  these 
two  classes.  We  will  to-day  carry  our  argument 
further  than  we  have  hitherto  done,  and  see  whether 
or  not  both  nobles  and  samurai  will  henceforth  be  on 
a  perfectly  similar  level  with  us  commoners. 

"  The  chief  impediment  which  has  hitherto  existed 
to  prevent  a  standing  of  equality  as  between  the 
nobility  and  samurai  on  the  one  side,  and  the  com- 
moners on  the  other,  is  the  payment  of  these  heredi- 
tary incomes.  The  system  under  which  these  pay- 
ments were  made  has,  however,  now  been  altered,  and 
public  bonds  will  be  issued  in  lieu  of  them.  These 
bonds  can  be  held  by  the  humblest  commoner,  and 
they  cannot,  therefore,  be  regarded  in  the  same  light 


NARUSHIMA    KIUHOKU.  I49 

as  were  the  hereditary  pensions.  Even  granting  that 
it  has  been  forbidden  for  the  present  either  to  pledge 
or  mortgage  them,  what  has  given  rise  to  this  prohi- 
bition is  simply  the  apprehension  that  the  thoughtless 
nobles  or  samurai  would  recklessly  squander  or  dispose 
of  them  and  thus  bring  themselves  into  straits  for 
their  future  livelihood.  We  would  venture  to  say  that 
the  present  bonds  cannot  be  considered  as  being  in 
any  way  different  from  those  previously  issued  by 
the  Government,  or  as  being  a  hereditary  source  of 
income.  The  chief  distinction  which  has  hitherto 
existed  between  the  nobles  and  gentry  and  us  com- 
moners has  thus  been  removed. 

"The  second  distinction  is  the  rank  which  attaches 
to  the  former.  Careful  consideration  shows  us  that 
no  rules  authorizing  this  rank  have  existed  from 
antiquity,  and  it  was  owing  to  the  absence  of  such 
that  even  confectioners  assumed  the  names  of  Yama- 
shiro  Daijo  and  Yamato  Daijo,  and  sword-makers 
those  of  Kaga-no-kami  and  Musashi-no-kami.  At  the 
time  of  the  revolution  the  false  assumption  of  these 
names  was  forbidden,  and  we  see  no  difference  between 
the  case  of  those  who  then  took  them  and  that  of  the 
nobles  and  samurai  at  the  present  day.  We  earnestly 
hope  that  henceforth  the  rank  that  the  unofficial 
nobility  and  samurai  now  hold  will  be  taken  away 
from  them,  that  they  will  be  reduced  to  a  level  with 
the  commoners,  and  that  the  justness  of  equal  rights 
to  all  classes  will  be  made  known  throughout  the 
Empire.  If,  however,  our  Emperor,  on  account  of 
very  kindly  feelings  which  he  entertains  toward  the 
nobles  and  samurai,  cannot  bring  himself  to  deprive 
them  of  their  rank,  we  will  allow  this  subject  to  lie 
over  for  the  present  and  make  it  our  object  to  beg  for 
reform  of  the  third  distinction  which  exists  between  us. 


150  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

"  What  is  this  third  distinction  ?  A  most  serious 
one  ;  to  wit,  the  system  of  *  intercalary  punishment.' 
This  system  was  devised  as  an  indulgence  on  the 
part  of  the  Government  towards  both  nobles  and 
gentry,  but  when  viewed  by  us  commoners  it  seems 
to  be  an  act  of  partiality  limited  to  those  two  classes. 
Just  let  us  see.  When  a  member  of  either  commits  a 
crime  his  rank  is  taken  away  from  him  and  he  is  made 
a  commoner.  To  make  commoners  who  have  been 
guilty  of  no  crime,  and  who  can  look  both  towards 
heaven  and  upon  earth  without  any  sense  of  shame, 
associate  on  equal  terms  with  samurai  and  nobles  who 
by  their  disgraceful  conduct  have  outraged  decency, 
should  this  be  called  oppression  or  not  ?  Within 
recent  years  commoners  have  been  permitted  to  ride 
on  horseback  and  to  assume  surnames,  the  nobles  and 
samurai  not  being,  at  the  same  time,  deprived  of 
these  privileges  which  they  alone  had  previously 
enjoyed.  These  precedents  should  now  be  followed 
and  the  intercalary  punishments  to  which  nobles  and 
samurai  are  liable  abolished,  the  same  punishments 
ordained  for  them  as  commoners  and  the  infliction  of 
corporal  punishment  entirely  done  away  with.  If  these 
steps  be  taken  the  feelings  of  the  nobles  and  samurai 
will  be  assimilated  to  those  of  the  commoners,  all 
will  become  equally  industrious  and  all  equally  watch- 
ful over  their  conduct ;  both  the  former  classes  would 
for  these  reasons  regard  such  a  step  with  feelings  of 
rejoicing  instead  of  as  a  grievance,  and,  as  regards  us 
commoners,  we  should  be  freed  from  the  injustice 
of  having  to  associate  on  equal  terms  with  nobles 
or  samurai  who  had  for  disgraceful  conduct  been 
thrown  into  our  ranks.  This  is  but  what  strict  justice 
demands,  and  is  it  not  besides  gaining  two  ends  by 
one  action  ? 


NARUSHIMA    KIUHOKU.  15  I 

"  Every  one  knows  that  in  savage  countries,  such 
as  India,  there  are  many  distinctions  of  class  between 
people  of  the  same  country,  and  that  the  bad  custom 
of  separation  of  high  from  low  cannot  be  got  rid  of,  a 
matter  which  affords  great  ridicule  to  the  civilized 
countries  of  Europe  and  America.  Now  when  our 
Empire  is  advancing  with  such  rapid  strides  towards 
the  attainment  of  public  justice,  is  there  one  of  us 
would  rejoice  at  seeing  the  custom  of  the  barbarians 
maintained  among  us  for  a  single  day  ?  There  may, 
however,  be  some  who  may  advocate  a  procrastinating 
and  dilatory  policy  —  who  may  say  that  though  the 
pensions  of  the  nobles  and  samurai  should  be  abolished, 
their  rank  should  be  left,  or  that  though  their  rank  be 
taken  away,  intercalary  punishments  shoud  be  pre- 
served. If  the  Government  approves  of  such  a  line  of 
argument  as  this  and  extends  its  principle  a  little,  the 
conclusion  will  be  arrived  at  that  the  pensions  should 
never  have  been  abolished,  and  that  the  feudal  sys- 
tem should  still  be  maintained  —  a  very  startling 
and  deplorable  one.  We  are,  accordingly,  eagerly 
desirous  to  see  the  securing  of  like  privileges  with  all 
speed  to  all  classes  of  people.  What  say  ye,  ye  learned 
men  ? " 

As  bearing  more  directly  upon  this  editor's  own 
experiences,  we  also  append  the  following  paragraphs 
on  the  subject  of  Progress  in  Japan  : 

"  Who  can  accuse  the  Japanese  Government  of  being 
harsh  and  despotic,  or  the  people  subservient  and 
ignorant  ?  Experience  and  observation  have  proved 
that  the  contrary  is  now  the  case,  though  formerly 
there  may  have  been  grounds  for  the  accusation.  At 
present  it  is  clear  that  the  chief  aim  and  desire  of  the 
Government  is  to  turn  the  needle  of  administration 
in  the  right  direction,  to  pay  attention  to  public  opin- 


152  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

ion,  to  consolidate  the  foundations  of  national  liberty 
by  judicious  reforms,  and  finally  to  secure  lasting 
peace  and  prosperity  to  the  country  by  the  firm 
establishment  of  a  constitutional  monarchy.  It  is, 
therefore,  the  duty  of  the  people  to  assist  the  Govern- 
ment in  the  advance  of  the  country.in  civilization. 

"  About  two  years  and  a  half  ago  the  writer  was 
imprisoned  for  an  offence  against  the  press  laws,  and 
so  cut  off  from  the  knowledge  of  what  was  being  done 
in  the  country.  But  on  the  fourth  of  November  the 
Government  kindly  permitted  the  introduction  of 
newspapers  into  the  prisons,  so  that  after  a  dreary 
blank  of  nearly  two  years  we  became  acquainted,  by 
means  of  the  public  journals,  with  the  wonderful 
changes  that  had  taken  place,  which  led  us  involunta- 
rily to  exclaim,  Ah  !  the  advancement  of  the  country  is 
as  the  rising  sun !  No  one  can  now  reasonably  bewail 
the  curtailment  of  national  liberty,  or  regret  the  want 
of  influence  attached  to  public  opinion.  Among  the 
most  important  changes  that  attracted  our  attention 
were  the  revision  of  the  laws,  the  establishment  of  local 
assemblies,  the  advancement  of  national  education, 
the  growing  love  of  national  liberty,  the  due  apprecia- 
tion of  rights  and  obligations  by  the  people,  and  the 
recognition  of  the  power  of  public  opinion.  Had  not 
the  Government  fostered  public  opinion,  and  care- 
fully guarded  the  rights  and  liberties  of  the  people, 
the  country  could  not  have  reached  its  present  state 
of  civilization, 

"  In  glancing  back  at  the  condition  of  the  country 
prior  to  our  imprisonment,  we  are  at  a  loss  to  know 
when  the  first  steps  in  liberty  were  taken.  It  is  as 
if  one  were  following  a  narrow  and  uncertain  footpath 
across  a  vast  plain,  not  knowing  when  the  broad  and 
safe  high  road  would  be  reached.     Some  years  ago 


NARUSHIMA    KIUIIOKU.  153 

the  love  of  liberty  and  the  appreciation  of  public 
rights  and  duties  were  as  dim  as  the  stars  in  the 
morning,  the  people  were  destitute  of  patriotism  or 
courage  to  express  their  desires,  and  were  content  to 
remain  in  ignorance,  thus  giving  no  indication  to  the 
Government  of  the  direction  in  which  the  needle  of 
administration  should  be  pointed  in  order  to  secure 
their  liberties. 

"  In  the  course  of  a  few  years  the  advancement  of 
the  people  in  knowledge  has  been  as  a  strong  wind  or 
a  flowing  tide,  and  nothing  checks  the  progress  of 
civilization.  Newspapers  are  everywhere  published 
and  debating  societies  are  everywhere  met  with. 
The  love  of  liberty  is  increasing  and  the  due  appre- 
ciation of  rights  and  duties  daily  extending  among 
the  people,  who  show  an  eager  desire  to  take  part 
in  the  administration.  The  Government  carefully 
observing  the  advanced  condition  of  the  people,  noti- 
fied in  November,  1876,  that  local  assemblies  would 
be  established  in  the  future,  and  have  since  given 
effect  to  this  announcement  and  extended  the  fran- 
chise to  the  people  of  every  Fu  and  Ken.  The  great 
advantage  of  this  reform  has  been  that  a  sympathy 
has  been  established  between  the  Government  and 
the  people,  disorders  which  were  previously  rife  have 
ceased  to  exist,  and  the  people  have  learned  to  take  a 
lively  interest  in  politics.  Furthermore,  the  Chiho- 
kuan  Kuaigi  was  opened  this  year,  and  the  foundation 
of  a  representative  government  has  been  laid  by  the 
establishment  of  Fu  and  Ken  assemblies.  A  great 
change  in  the  administration  has  thus  been  brought 
about  by  transferring  some  of  the  burden  from  the 
central  to  the  local  governments,  and  the  extention 
of  the  franchise  to  ch6  and  son.  The  Government 
has   thus   clearly  shown  that  it  does  not   desire   to 


154  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

grasp  arbitrary  power,  and  the  condition  of  the  coun- 
try is  consequently  greatly  benefited. 

"  Many  desirable  reforms  have  taken  place  in  our 
laws,  the  most  notable  of  which  are  that  the  guilt  of 
the  accused  must  be  established  by  witnesses  (June, 
1876) ;  the  prohibition  of  the  arrest  of  those  against 
whom  a  civil  action  is  brought  (September,  i  Sy6) ;  the 
abolition  of  torture  and  the  admission  to  bail  (Febru- 
ary, 1877) ;  a  revision  of  the  laws  of  evidence  leading 
to  more  perfect  and  careful  judgments,  and  non- 
detention  of  prisoners  in  prison  while  awaiting  their 
trial  (December,  1877).  All  these  commendable  meas- 
ures have  had  the  effect  of  dissipating  grievances, 
and  confirming  the  happiness  and  prosperity  of  the 
people.  In  addition,  new  criminal  codes  have  been 
compiled  and  will  soon  be  carried  into  effect. 

"  In  the  draft  of  the  new  press  laws  that  the  Aki- 
bono  Shimbun  lately  published  there  are  one  or  two 
clauses  which  we  cannot  suppose  were  framed  by  our 
enlightened  Government,  and  therefore  do  not  stop 
to  criticise  them,  but  hope  that  when  the  revised 
laws  are  issued  they  will  not  contain  the  obnoxious 
clauses. 

"The  great  changes  we  have  enumerated  wiere 
gradually  brought  about  while  we  were  undergoing 
imprisonment.  They  are  sufficient  to  prove  the 
benevolence  of  the  Government  and  the  improved 
condition  of  the  people. 

"  For  two  years  and  a  half  our  life  was  a  dreary 
blank  in  a  darksome  prison,  but  our  restoration  to 
freedom  has  afforded  us  the  gratification  of  contem- 
plating the  wonderful  changes  that  have  been  effected 
in  this  country,  and  we  are  now  glad  to  have  an 
opportunity  of  freely  congratulating  our  countrymen 
on  the  improved  state  of  affairs.     We  trust  the  love 


NARUSHIAIA    KIUHOKU.  1 55 

of  liberty  will  continue  to  increase,  and  that  every 
man  will  do  his  utmost  to  serve  his  country  truly  and 
faithfully,  so  as  to  advance  her  steadily  in  the  path  of 
civilization." 

As  there  is  hardly  a  single  feature  in  the  history 
of  modern  Japan  which  better  illustrates  the  prevail- 
ing spirit  of  progress  than  its  newspaper  press,  it 
affords  the  editor  special  pleasure  as  an  appropriate 
sequel  to  this  sketch,  to  print  the  following  account 
which  he  has  received  from  a  friend  in  Osaka : 

"In  reviewing  our  past  history,  we  find  that  the 
first  newspapers  were  published  in  Japan  in  the  first 
year  of  Manyen  (i860).  They  were  such  as  Chiiigwai 
Shhnbun^  Moshio-giisa  and  Noriai-banashi ;  but  were, 
however,  much  more  like  magazines  than  newspapers. 

"The  first  daily  paper  was  the  Mainichi  Skimbuny  of 
Yokohama;  this  was  followed  by  the  Nichi  Nichi 
ShimbiLUy  published  at  Asakusa,  Tokio,  on  the  twenty- 
first  of  February,  1872.  On  the  eleventh  of  March  of 
the  same  year,  an  Englishman  issued  a  paper  called 
the  Nisshin  Shinjishi,  which  was  followed  by  the 
Hdchi  S/mnbtmy  the  Kobtm  Tsilshi  (now  known  as 
the  Choya  Shimbini),  the  SJiiinbun  Zasshi^  (since 
changed  to  the  AkSojto  Shimbiin),  Kiogi  Shimbtm, 
and  Kidkai  Shimbim  (which  has  been  changed  to 
Mcikid  Shifishi),  all  of  which  are  issued  every  day, 
every  other  day,  or  weekly. 

"In  1873  Mori  Arinori,  Kat6  Hiroyuki,  Tsuda 
Shind6,  Mitsukuri  Rinsh6,  Nishi  Shu,  and  other 
equally  prominent  men  formed  a  society  and  pub- 
lished a  paper  called  Mciroku  Zasshi.  This  journal 
stood  first  among  all  similar  magazines.  Shortly 
before  this  Fukuzawa  had  published  a  paper  called 
Minkaii  Zass/ii,  but  it  was  completely  eclipsed  by  the 
latter  publication. 


156  LEADING    MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

"Although  at  this  time  so  many  journals  were 
published,  they  bore  little  resemblance  in  form  to  those 
of  the  present  day.  The  paper  on  which  they  were 
printed  was  either  of  Chinese  or  European  make: 
the  type  was  large,  and  the  only  newspaper  whose 
columns  would  admit  of  a  leading  article  was  the 
Nisshiii  SJdnjisJii.  The  people  were  also  ignorant 
of  the  power  of  journalism.  The  higher  classes  did 
not  care  to  read  the  frivolous  and  often  obscene  items 
of  news  of  which  most  of  the  newspapers  were  made 
up,  and  therefore  almost  exclusively  patronized  the 
Meiroku  ZassJii. 

"  As  it  was  found  necessary  to  institute  some  regu- 
lations for  the  conduct  of  the  various  newspapers  as 
they  came  into  existence,  in  October,  1873,  the  Gov- 
ernment issued  laws  regarding  the  native  press.    The 
newspapers  from  this  time   commenced  to  be  more 
and  more  extensively  patronized  by  the  people,  and 
consequently  became  greatly  improved  in  form,  being 
printed  on  large   paper  with   fine  type.     All   kinds 
of    interesting    news    were   published,    and    as    the 
number  of  their  correspondents  increased,  the  various 
journals  were  unable  to  find  space  for  the  mass  of 
matter.     In  the  same  year  the  minds  of  the  people 
became  exercised  on  the  question  of  sending  an  expe- 
dition to  Korea,  and  of  people's  rights,  which  topics 
were  discussed  with  great  vigor  in  the  native  papers. 
At  this  time  Bajo  Daijiro,  of  the  Nisshm  Shinjishi, 
Tachibana    Mitsuomi,    of    the   Hochi  Shimbun^    and 
Neko-o,  of  the  AHchi  Nichi  Shwtbun,  were  the  most 
prominent  writers.     Before  this  the  mass  of   people 
had  looked  upon  newspapers  in  much  the  same  light 
as  the  colored  pictures  sold  in  shops,  but  they  nov/ 
commenced  to  see  that  they  were  wrong  in  holding 
such  views.     Thus  the  reading  of  newsjxipers  greatly 


NARUSHIMA   KIUHOKU.  15/ 

increased,  and  the  journals  themselves  commenced  to 
exercise  considerable  influence  over  public  opinion. 

**Just  at  this  time  several  writers  who  held 
extreme  views  of  progress,  commenced  to  write 
articles  denouncing  in  strong  terms  the  actions  of 
the  Government  and  its  officials,  even  going  so  far 
as  to  attack  the  reputation  and  honor  of  certain  of 
the  Kuwazoku,  Shizoku  and  Heimin.  In  consequence 
of  this  the  Government,  on  the  twenty-eighth  of  June, 
1875,  repealed  the  press  laws,  and  issued  in  their 
stead  others,  including  the  law  of  libel,  the  violation 
of  which  was  to  be  punished  by  the  severest  penalties, 
such  as  three  years'  imprisonment,  a  fin£  of  five 
thousand  yeii  and  confiscation  of  type  and  printing 
machinery. 

*'  On  the  promulgation  of  this  law  the  writers 
were  thunderstruck,  finding  themselves  debarred  from 
expressing  their  views  with  that  freedom  which  had 
hitherto  characterized  their  productions.  But  these 
repressive  measures  were  instituted  in  order  that  the 
minds  of  the  people  might  not  be  too  much  excited 
by  the  utterances  of  newspapers,  and  that  the  authority 
of  the  Government  might  thereby  be  overthrown. 
They  were  also  necessary  in  order  to  prevent  attacks 
on  personal  character  and  reputation,  or  the  publish- 
ing of  matters  which  should  be  kept  secret.  It  was 
not  with  the  view  of  closing  the  mouths  of  the  people 
that  such  repressive  steps  were  taken,  and  the  writers 
at  last  understanding  the  intention  of  the  new  laws, 
saw  that  they  could  without  infringing  them,  find 
ample  space  to  express  their  views  upon  politics, 
political  economy,  religious  and  popular  customs. 
Still,  many  writers  who  held  extreme  progressive 
views  upon  the  subject  of  peoples'  rights  and  national 
assemblies,  expressed   themselves   in   violent   terms, 


158  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

and  thus  overstepping  the  limits  prescribed  by  the 

laws,  were  punished  for  so  doing. 

"  Among  other  rules  laid  down  it  was  especially 
stated  that  all  proprietors,  directors  and  editors  of 
native  papers  must  be  Japanese.  The  Englishman 
was  therefore  compelled  to  cease  all  connection  with 
the  Nisshin  Shinjishi.  In  December,  1875,  he  issued 
a  new  paper  called  the  Bankohi  Shimbiui^  and  it  was 
expected  that  some  trouble  would  arise  therefrom 
with  regard  to  its  being  an  infringement  of  the  press 
laws.  The  British  Minister  therefore  gave  an  order 
that  its  publication  should  be  stopped,  and  the  paper 
thus  ceased  to  exist. 

"  The  Osaka  Nippd  issued  its  first  number  on  the 
twentieth  of  February,  1876.  Previous  to  this  there 
had  been  the  Nanhva  Nichi  Nichi  Shimbiin^  and  the 
Naniwa  Shimbun  published  at  Osaka,  but  they  both 
came  to  an  end.  After  the  Tokio  newspapers,  the 
press  of  Yokohama  and  Osaka  stands  foremost  in 
Japan. 

"Since  the  commencement  of  its  career  the  circula- 
tion of  the  Osaka  Nippd  has  greatly  increased  in  vari- 
ous Fu  and  Ken.  This  arises  from  the  fact  that  the 
people  have  found  newspapers  to  be  aids  to  progress, 
and  thus  they  have  flourished  in  spite  of  press  and  libel 
laws. 

"The  number  of  those  newspapers  who  have  been 
carried  away  by  their  zeal  and  whose  editors  have 
been  punished  by  fine  or  imprisonment  has  been  very 
large.  Some  of  them  not  being  content  with  the 
judgments  rendered  at  the  ordinary  courts  went  so 
far  as  to  appeal  to  the  Superior  Court  {Daishin- 
Jji).  But  even  then  the  more  progressive  among 
them  refused  to  change  their  tone,  and  kept  up  their 
arguments  most  vigorously,  so  that  the  Government 


NARUSHIMA   KIUHOKU.  1 59 

was  induced  to  issue  a  notification  to  the  effect  that 
any  newspaper  or  magazine  which  might  be  consid- 
ered obstructive  to  the  observance  of  peace  in  the 
country  should,  by  order  of  the  Naimusho,  be  sus- 
pended from  further  publication.  This  notification 
was  issued  on  the  sixth  of  July,'  1876,  and  on  the 
eleventh  of  the  same  month,  the  Sovio  Zasski,  Hidron 
Shimbun,  and  Kokai  SJiimpo  were  suspended.  These 
were  followed  by  the  suspension  of  the  Chiiigai  Hidron, 
Moso  Zasshiy  Somojijo  and  Bmmnei  SJdnshi  in  Tokio  ; 
in  Osaka  Gakumin  SJiinsei  and  Toyo-kiji  Shinipo,  and 
in  Kioto  the  Minkai  Sankoron,  all  of  which  were  pro- 
hibited from  publication,  one  after  the  other. 

"  The  newspapers  publish  particulars  of  all  events 
of  interest  which  may  transpire,  sending  reporters  to 
the  scenes  described  in  order  that  the  real  facts  may 
be  ascertained.  This  was  the  plan  pursued  with  regard 
to  the  Korean  and  Formosan  Expeditions,  the  trouble 
with  China,  and  the  disturbances  which  occurred  in 
Saga,  Kumamoto  and  Hagi.  The  editors  expressed 
their  views  upon  these  questions,  and  published  the 
letters  from  correspondents  relating  thereto. 

**  Reporters  even  followed  troops  to  the  seats  of 
war  and  when  the  Emperor  went  to  Oshiu  to  open 
the  railroad,  and  also  on  the  occasion  of  the  opening 
of  the  Uy^no  Exhibition,  special  seats  were  set  apart 
for  the  representatives  of  the  press. 

"  When  the  recent  rebellion  broke  out  in  Satsuma, 
the  press  without  exception  condemned  the  movement 
as  a  wrong  one,  and  thus  they  and  the  Nation  were 
in  perfect  accord  in  the  opinion  held  with  regard  to 
it.  Many  of  the  more  ignorant  of  the  people,  not 
being  aware  of  the  manner  in  which  their  confessions 
had  been  forced  from  Nakahara  Hisao  and  others, 
imagined  that  such  a  man  as  Saigo  Takamori  would 


l60  LEADING    MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

not  have  risen  against  the  Government  without  some 
rightful  cause,  and  it  was  not  until  they  had  read  the 
opinions  of  the  press  and  the  correspondence  from  the 
seat  of  war,  that  they  were  convinced  that  there  was 
no  just  cause  for  the  movement.  Owing  to  the  influ- 
ence exercised  by  the  representations  of  the  press, 
the  people  were  induced  to  come  forward  from  all 
parts  of  the  country,  and  volunteer  to  fight  againt  the 
insurgents.  Thus  the  power  of  the  press  in  over- 
coming an  enemy  is  greater  than  a  regiment  well 
armed,  and  the  capture  of  fortifications. 

"  Newspapers  sent  special  reporters  to  the  seat  of 
war,  and  even  in  such  desperate  engagements  as  those 
which  took  place  in  Tawara  and  Uyeki,  they  braved 
the  bullets  and  never  for  a  day  omitted  sending  reports 
to  the  papers.  When  communications  were  opened 
with  Kumamoto,  and  when  the  Imperialists  made 
their  attack  upon  Mifune,  the  reporters  suffered  very 
severely,  and  some  were  even  captured  by  the  rebels. 
Fukuchi,  the  editor  of  the  Nichi  NicJd  SJiimlniu,  who 
returned  to  Kioto  for  a  short  time,  was  called  before 
the  Emperor  and  H.  E.  the  Prime  Minister,  and  gave 
a  description  of  events  of  the  seat  of  war.  This  is 
indeed  an  honor  to  be  conferred  upon  the  editor  of  a 
newspaper.  At  this  time  the  attention  of  the  people 
was  concentrated  on  Kiushiu,  and  thus  the  news- 
papers became  of  great  necessity  to  the  people,  and 
their  circulation  in  consequence  immensely  increased. 
On  some  days  it  was  even  necessary  to  publish  extras, 
which  were  distributed  after  the  ordinary  daily  issue. 
Thus  the  papers  enjoy  the  full  confidence  of  the 
people." 


OKI  TAKATO. 

HE  was  bom  in  Saga,  province  of  Hizen,  and 
received  a  liberal  Japanese  education.  At  the 
time  of  the  Restoration  he  was  called  to  become  one 
of  the  Sanji  in  Yedo,  and  was  also  associated  with 
the  office  for  Foreign  Affairs ;  he  was  afterwards  con- 
nected with  the  War  Department,  and  was  chairman 
of  the  new  Senate ;  and  on  relinquishing  all  these 
positions,  he  became  the  head  of  a  communion,  com- 
posed of  Samashima,  Mori  and  Kanda,  whose  province 
it  was  to  make  certain  examinations  connected  with 
the  organization  of  a  legislative  body  and  the  munic- 
ipal affairs  of  Tokio.  In  1870  he  was  appointed 
Vice  Minister  of  the  Home  Department,  and  shortly 
afterwards  full  minister  of  the  same  ;  and  it  was  about 
that  time  that  he  took  a  leading  part  in  the  establish- 
ment of  the  Educational  Department,  in  which  he 
had  long  taken  a  special  interest.  In  1872  he  was 
transferred  to  the  Department,  having  charge  of  relig- 
ious affairs  ;  in  1873  he  was  placed  in  the  Cabinet  as 
a  Sanji ;  and  while  still  holding  that  position,  he  was, 
a  few  months  afterwards,  placed  at  the  head  of  the 
Department  of  Justice. 

When  the  revolt  took  place  at  Kiu-Shu  in  1876, 
he  was  sent  to  that  locality  as  a  peacemaker,  and  was 
successful  in  his  efforts.  In  1877,  with  Okubo,  Okuma 
and  other  men  of  note,  he  received  the  first  degree  of 
the  Order  of  the  Rising  Sun,  for  his  long-continued 

i6x 


l62  LEADING    MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

and   patriotic   services  as  an   official  in  the  various 
positions  which  he  was  called  upon  to  fill. 

When  we  consider  the  large  number  of  his  public 
positions,  which  were  all  of  great  responsibility,  we 
cannot  but  be  surprised  to  learn  that  he  is  a  great 
lover  of  books  and  a  very  extensive  reader  of  them  in 
various  languages. 


OKUBO  TOSHIMICHI. 

OKUBO  TOSHIMICHI  was  born  in  the  prov- 
ince of  Satsuma,  on  the  island  of  Kiusu,  a 
region  long  renowned  for  the  bravery  and  heroism 
of  its  people  in  the  cause  of  Japan,  about  the  year 
1829.  He  belonged  to  the  higher  class  of  "Retain- 
ers," a  term  which  in  Japan  is  allied  to  that  of 
knighthood  in  Europe  during  the  Middle  Ages.  His 
early  education  was  the  best  that  the  country  afforded, 
and  from  his  youth  until  he  attained  the  age  of  about 
thirty  years,  he  participated  in  the  public  affairs  of 
his  province,  and  was  a  faithful  friend  and  special 
adviser  of  the  ex-Prince  or  Daimio  of  Satsuma.  His 
early  service  was  rendered  to  the  late  or  most  famous 
Prince,  the  predecessor  of  the  ex-Prince.  That  Prince, 
by  the  way,  who  died  about  the  year  1857,  at  the 
age  of  fifty-four  years,  was  the  foremost  leader  in 
steadily  advocating  the  restoration  of  the  ancient 
Imperial  dynasty,  and  the  adoption  of  the  new  order 
of  things  abroad.  He  was  one  of  the  most  profound 
scholars  in  the  Chinese  classics,  as  well  as  those  of 
liis  own  country,  and  fully  informed  in  their  general 
history  and  literature ;  and  he  was  also  well  acquainted 
with  Western  civilization,  including  its  philosophy 
and  science,  and  is  asserted  by  many  to  have  been 
the  corner-stone  of  the  new  government. 

Not  only  did  Okubo  as  a  young  man  do  what  he 
could  to  help  the  administration  of  his  province,  but 

»63 


164  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

he  early  became  interested  in  the  welfare  of  the 
whole  Empire.  He  took  sides  with  that  small  but 
more  patriotic  body  of  men  who,  about  twenty-five 
or  more  years  ago,  began  to  grow  restless  under  the 
corrupt  and  despotic  reign  of  the  Tycoon  dynasty ; 
and  when  in  1868  the  great  questions  arose  as  to 
the  immediate  restoration  to  power  of  the  legitimate 
Emperor,  and  of  opening  the  port  of  Kiobe  to  for- 
eigners —  as  was  stipulated  in  former  treaties  with 
other  powers  —  Okubo  was  among  the  foremost  to 
advocate  the  preservation  of  the  national  dignity,  and 
was  supported  in  his  views  by  Iwakura,  Sanjio,  Kido, 
Saigo,  and  many  others  who  have  also  become 
famous  in  the  recent  history  of  Japan. 

At  this  point  we  may  turn  aside  for  a  moment  to 
mention  two  or  three  of  the  most  singular  measures 
which  the  successive  administrations  of  the  hereditary 
Tycoons  were  in  the  habit  of  employing  for  the  main- 
tenance of  their  power  and  for  keeping  their  country 
in  the  old  paths.  For  no  less  a  period  than  two  hun- 
dred and  seventy  years  they  compelled  all  the  Daimios 
of  the  Empire  to  leave  their  wives  and  children  in 
Yedo,  where  their  principal  homes  were  ordained  to 
be,  and  where  they  —  the  wives  and  children  —  were 
held  as  hostages,  or  as  a  check  upon  the  possible  dis- 
loyalty of  the  Daimios,  who  were  allowed  to  reside  in 
their  own  provinces  in  alternate  years.  The  Tycoons 
were  also  in  the  habit  for  many  years  of  intriguing  to 
give  a  fictitious  and  semi-divine  elevation  to  the  posi- 
tion of  the  true  Emperor  of  Japan,  so  as  to  remove 
him  from  all  participation  in  the  affairs  of  state. 
There  was  still  another  measure,  born  of  the  spirit  of 
cunning,  and  employed  in  the  early  part  of  the  Tycoon 
administration,  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago, 
and  ever  since  continued  until  the  new  era  dawned. 


OKUBO    TOSHIMICHI.  165 

namely,  that  no  vessels  larger  than  those  employed  in 
the  coasting  trade  and  fishing  in  the  seas  of  Japan, 
should  be  built,  as  they  would  inevitably  bring  the 
people  in  contact  with  foreign  nations,  thereby  causing 
them  to  become  more  enlightened,  and  inclined  to 
throw  off  the  yoke  arbitrarily  placed  on  their  necks. 
These,  with  other  measures  looking  to  the  same  end, 
excited  the  apprehensions  of  many  of  the  thinking 
and  patriotic  men  of  Japan  ;  they  were  the  cause  of 
the  local  dissensions  which  afflicted  the  country  for 
many  years ;  and  it  was  inevitable  that  they  should 
culminate  either  in  the  forced  or  voluntary  abdication 
of  the  Tycoon  —  voluntary,  because  it  could  not  mor- 
ally be  sustained  any  longer  —  and  the  restoration  to 
power  of  the  true  Emperor  or  Mikado.  The  truth  is, 
that  for  centuries  there  was  a  spirit  of  progress  per- 
meating Japan  through  all  its  length  and  breadth, 
which  was  unfortunately  crippled  by  sundry  checks 
of  despotic  legislation  :  and  we  all  know  that  a  civili- 
zation, however  peculiar  to  themselves,  was  found 
among  the  Japanese  when  that  country  was  first  in- 
troduced to  the  world.  But  there  seemed  to  be  no 
heroic  leaders  of  opinion  until  the  forced  abdication  of 
the  Tycoon  led  to  the  restoration  of  the  Imperial  Gov- 
ernment, when  such  able  and  patriotic  men  as  Okubo, 
Kido  and  Saigo  came  prominently  upon  the  stage  of 
public  affairs.  The  rapid  progress  that  Japan  is  now 
making  is,  therefore,  no  longer  to  be  wondered  at 
when  we  carefully  and  logically  compare  the  principles 
of  the  old  and  the  new  government  of  Japan  —  the 
one  "  compulsory,  restrained,"  the  other  "  free  pro- 
Ljress."  In  other  words,  it  is  but  the  natural  law 
of  things  exemplified,  the  reaction  from  absolute 
coercion. 

In  the  hostilities  which  soon  followed  and  resulted 


l66  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

in  a  change  of  government,  Okubo  participated  with 
energy,  not  so  much  as  a  military  man,  but  as  a  coun- 
sellor with  the  Prince  of  Satsuma  and  others.  As 
soon  as  the  Tycoon  abdicated,  in  1868,  he  was 
appointed  a  counsellor  in  the  national  Government,  a 
capacity  in  which  he  remained  until  1871,  when  he 
became  the  Minister  of  Finance,  a  position  in  which 
he  exercised  a  paramount  influence  ;  and  he  was  also 
a  member,  with  his  friends  Iwakura,  Kido  and  Ito,  of 
the  embassy  which  visited  America  and  Europe  in 

1872.  The  last-named  of  these  visited  this  country 
several  times  in  an  official  capacity,  and  is  remem- 
bered by  many  as  a  man  of  superior  ability. 

On  the  return  of  the  embassy  in  1873,  the  questions 
bearing  upon  Corea  and  Formosa  were  both  attract- 
ing much  attention,  and  for  many  months  there  was 
much  said  about  local  insurrections,  and  Okubo  took 
upon  himself  the  task  of  trying  to  throw  oil  upon  the 
troubled  waters.  His  argument  was  that  nothing 
should  be  done  on  the  Corean  question  until  more 
important  and  pressing  matters  had  been  properly 
dealt  with  —  such  as  the  proposed  revision  of  treaties 
with  sundry  powers,  the  settlement  of  the  tariff  ques- 
tion, the  establishment  of  a  new  system  of  internal 
revenue,  as  well  as  the  questions  bearing  upon  Sag- 
halien  and  Formosa. 

These  were  undoubtedly  all  sound  and  wise  con- 
siderations, and  as  there  was  no  war  with  Corea,  of 
which  so  much  had  been  said,  as  threatening  the 
Empire,  the  presumption  is  that  Okubo's  advice  was 
heeded.     It  so  happened,  however,  that  in  October, 

1873,  there  was  a  split  in  the  Cabinet  on  this  ques- 
tion, and  the  men  who  resigned  were  Saigo,  Soye- 
shima,  Goto,  Etagaki  and  Yeto. 

About  the  middle  of  February,  1874,  news  reached 


OKUBO    TOSHIMICHI.  167 

Yeddo  that  an  insurrection  had  broken  out  at  Saga, 
in  Hizen,  and  at  once  Okubo  with  a  detachment  of 
the  army,  was  despatched  to  the  theatre  of  war,  and 
by  his  sagacity  and  firmness  the  leading  insurgent 
and  ten  other  ringleaders  were  captured  and  promptly 
executed  by  court-martial  —  an  event  which .  very 
decidedly  put  a  stop  to  the  scheme  of  going  to  war 
about  Corea.  For  this  important  service  Okubo  was 
congratulated  by  the  Emperor  and  greatly  applauded 
throughout  the  Empire. 

It  was  also  during  these  exciting  times,  just  one 
month  before  Okubo' s  departure  for  Saga,  that  the 
cowardly  attempt  was  made  to  assassinate  Iwakura 
Tomomi,  on  his  way  home  from  the  Imperial  palace, 
by  the  partisans  of  the  insurgents  in  Saga.  Having 
failed  in  this  wicked  deed,  the  assassins  had  run  away, 
and  in  vain  tried  to  hide  their  bloody  hands  in  obscure 
comers.  They  were  soon  arrested,  however,  nine  in 
number,  tried,  found  guilty,  and  sentenced  to  death. 
If  to  American  minds  that  punishment  seems  severe, 
here  is  what  th^  Japan  Mail  said  on  the  subject : 

The  ruffians  who  attempted  to  assassinate  the  Udaijin  in  January 
last  have  by  this  time  paid  with  their  lives  for  their  crime.  And  it  is 
well  that  it  is  so.  If  men  are  to  resort  to  assassination,  or  to  threats 
of  it,  in  order  to  prevent  the  rulers  of  a  country  from  following  the 
course  on  which  they  have  determined,  after  mature  deliberation,  as 
the  course  best  for  the  country,  or  to  force  them  into  some  course  of 
which  their  judgment  disapproves,  all  government,  or  the  possibility 
of  it,  is  at  an  end.  We  trust  the  apprehension  and  execution  of  these 
men  will  give  a  sound  lesson  to  the  undisciplined  spirit  which  is  one  of 
the  worst  signs  of  the  condition  of  the  country,  and  we  congratulate 
the  Government  on  its  success  in  bringing  them  to  justice. 

When  the  Formosa  question  became  so  formidable 
as  to  attract  universal  attention,  Okubo  seems  to  have 
taken  to  himself  the  burden  and  responsibility  of 
carrying   out   the  plan,  in   regard  to    this  question, 


1 68  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

which  had  been  adopted  by  the  Cabinet ;  and  it 
also  appears  that  it  was  his  policy  first  to  settle  this 
question  so  that  the  proper  title  to  the  islands  of 
Loochoo,  which  were  partly  claimed  by  China,  might 
be  determined.  Finding  that  an  immediate  expedi- 
tion to  Formosa  was  inevitable  and  expedient,  he  gave 
his  hearty  support  to  the  cause.  He,  together  with 
Okuma,  who,  we  are  told,  had  been  appointed  presi- 
dent of  this  expedition,  looked  after  the  operations  of 
the  army  and  the  departure  of  troops,  which  took 
place  from  Nagasaki. 

Soon  afterwards  a  complication  was  apprehended 
with  the  Chinese  Government  in  regard  to  the  expe- 
dition. In  order  to  avoid  any  further  misunderstand- 
ing on  the  part  of  the  Chinese  Government,  he  was 
commissioned  an  ambassador  plenipotentiary  to  that 
Empire  to  negotiate  with  it  in  regard  to  a  proper 
and  peaceful  arrangement  for  both  Empires.  He  left 
Yokohama  for  Nagasaki  on  the  sixth  of  August  in  the 
Pacific  Mail  steamship  Costa  Rica,  and  at  the  latter 
port  took  a  man-of-war  belonging  to  the  Japanese 
Government  for  China.  After  his  departure  one  of 
the  leading  journals  of  Yedo  spoke  of  him  in  these 
terms : 

Okubo  is  now  the  man  to  whom  the  country  looks  to  steer  it  clear 
of  clanger;  but  there  is  a  predominant  feeling  that  it  is  better  to  fight 
China,  at  whatever  risk,  than  yield  in  the  smallest  degree  to  menace. 

Another  of  the  native  newspapers,  while  discussing 
the  question  between  China  and  Japan,  made  these 
remarks  : 

The  two  Empires  have  long  been  very  intimate  :   therefore  Okubo 
has  been  sent  to  China  by  the  Mikado.     It  is  not  known  what  his 
orders  are ;  but  it  is  supposed  they  are  to  make  known  its  faults  to  the_ 
Chinese  Government,  and  that  we,  after  getting  a  proper  indemnifica- 


OKUBO    TOSHIMICHI.  169 

tion  from  it,  shall  continue  as  intimate  as  before.  If  China  opposes 
Okubo's  words,  he  will  soon  be  succeeded  by  our  forces.  Okubo  is 
the  pillar  of  our  Empire,  and  its  safety  or  danger  depends  only  on  him. 
Now,  we  ask  all  patriotic  men.  Shall  we  carry  arms  against  each  other, 
like  Prussia  and  France,  or  shall  we  be  intimate,  as  before .?  Which 
of  these  will  Okubo  prefer  ? 


Okubo  reached  Pekin  on  the  twenty-seventh  of 
August,  and  immediately  entered  upon  important 
negotiations.  How,  by  his  wisdom,  lofty  bearing  and 
boldness,  he  succeeded  in  effecting  an  honorable  peace 
with  China  and  securing  an  indemnity,  is  already  well 
known  to  the  world.  On  his  return  to  Yedo  on  the 
twenty-seventh  of  November,  the  people  throughout 
the  Empire  were  most  enthusiastic  in  their  congratu- 
lations to  him  and  the  Nation.  Escorted  by  several 
regiments  of  troops  and  high  officers  of  the  Cabinet, 
he  went  to  the  Department  of  the  Interior,  instead  of 
going  home,  after  which  he  went  to  the  Imperial  pal- 
ace, where  he  was  warmly  received  by  the  Emperor, 
and  congratulated  on  the  great  success  he  had 
achieved,  and  his  safe  return.  The  newspapers  were 
enthusiastic,  and  spoke  of  his  mission  as  one  that 
would  stand  high  in  the  annals  of  the  Nation  and  place 
him  among  the  benefactors  of  his  country,  and  for 
several  days  there  were  continuous  festivities  through- 
out the  capital  and  Yokohama. 

His  skill  as  an  envoy,  the  firmness  of  the  Japanese 
Government  and  its  proud  attitude  before  the  world, 
were  facts  which  filled  the  Empire  of  Japan  with 
rejoicing.  The  questions  settled  by  the  successful 
mission  of  Okubo  are  various  and  of  great  importance, 
but  this  is  not  the  place  to  enlarge  upon  them. 

Aside  from  the  rightful  settlement  of  certain  terri- 
torial lines,  the  fact  has  been  demonstrated  that  Japan 
will  hereafter  be  to  China  what  the  Western  nations 


I/O  '         LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

have  hitherto  been  to  the  Asiatic  nations  generally, 
and  the  success  of  Okubo  was  simply  a  grand  illustra- 
tion of  the  wonderful  advance  which  the  "  Empire  of 
the  Rising  Sun  "  is  now  making  towards  civilization. 

With  regard  to  the  personal  character  of  Okubo,  it 
was  in  keeping  with  his  high  position  as  a  patriot  and 
statesman.  He  could  not  speak  the  English  language, 
but  he  was  a  profound  scholar  in  the  history  and  lit- 
erature of  both  Japan  and  China ;  his  ideas  were 
those  of  the  most  advanced  of  his  countrymen  ;  he  was 
an  advocate  of  education  and  agricultural  improve- 
ment throughout  the  Empire ;  was  long  Minister  for 
the  Interior ;  a  leader  in  the  National  Council,  popular 
with  the  people,  and  the  governors  of  the  kens  or 
provincial  divisions,  and  the  man  who  was  looked  to 
for  the  future  welfare  and  growth  of  Japan. 

As  not  inappropriate  to  the  foregoing  account,  it  is 
hoped  the  reader  will  be  interested  in  the  following  :  — 

"When  Mr.  Okubo  was  in  Washington,  in  1872,  I 
saw  more  of  him  than  I  did  of  the  other  ambassadors, 
and  remember  with  great  interest  the  incidents  of 
that  intercourse.  Wherever  he  went  he  was  accom- 
panied by  a  secretary,  who  acted  as  interpreter,  and 
he  was  constantly  taking  notes  of  what  he  saw  and 
heard.  The  medical  museum  with  its  curious  and 
horrible  specimens  of  splintered  and  dead  humanity 
greatly  excited  his  feelings ;  and  when  his  attention 
was  directed  to  the  bones  of  a  human  leg,  whose  pro- 
prietor was  at  that  time  the  American  Minister  in 
Spain,  and  'walking  Spanish*  undoubtedly,  his  amaze- 
ment was  profound.  If  I  had  been  a  political  prophet, 
I  might  have  told  him,  what  actually  came  to  pass, 
that  the  mate  of  that  museum  leg  would,  in  less  than 
ten  years,  be  carried  by  a  Democrat,  as  the  first  had 
been  by  a  Republican. 


OKUBO    TOSHIMICHI.  I/I 

"  But  an  interview  that  Mr.  Okubo  had  with  Professor 
Joseph  Henry,  at  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  was 
particularly  agreeable  and  instructive  to  both  parties. 
When  the  conversation  happened  to  be  on  the  national 
foods  of  Japan,  and  Mr.  Okubo  had  said  that  animal 
food  was  not  popular  in  that  country.  Professor  Henry 
immediately  turned  to  a  large  globe,  and  pointing  to 
the  island  Empire,  said  that  the  Japanese,  notwith- 
standing their  religious  prejudices,  could  never  become 
a  beef-eating  nation,  for  the  reason  that  the  area  of 
their  country  was  too  limited  to  afford  pasturage  for 
sufficient  numbers  of  cattle  ;  and  he  made  the  further 
remark  that  the  customs  of  all  nations  were  always 
influenced  by  geographical  characteristics.  This  sug- 
gestion seemed  to  impress  Mr.  Okubo,  and  he  made 
an  elaborate  note  of  what  he  had  just  heard.  On  pas- 
sing a  glass  case  where  were  displayed  a  large  number 
of  Indian  arrow-heads.  Professor  Henry  said,  *I  sup- 
pose you  have  nothing  of  that  kind  in  Japan  ! '  but 
Mr.  Okubo  replied  in  substance  :  '  Yes,  these  things 
are  very  common  in  Japan,'  whereupon  Professor 
Henry  was  quite  as  much  astonished  as  his  visitor 
had  been  a  short  time  before.  And  thus,  for  an  hour 
or  two  did  these  two  representative  men  from  the 
two  sides  of  the  globe  entertain  each  other,  as  well  as 
their  listeners ;  and  in  view  of  a  little  lecture  on 
electricity,  when  Mr.  Okubo  left  the  Smithsonian 
building  he  quietly  remarked,  *That  is  one  of  your 
greatest  men,  I  am  sure.* 

"  Apropos  to  the  Indian  arrow-heads,  the  following 
circumstance  is  perhaps  worth  mentioning.  A  col- 
lection of  photographs  of  a  large  number  of  arrow- 
heads and  other  Indian  relics,  with  many  original 
specimens  having  come  into  my  possession  early  in 
1878,  I  sent   them   to   Mr.    Okubo,   in   Japan,   who 


1/2  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

acknowledged   their  receipt   and   disposition   in  the 
accompanying  letter : 

ToKio,  May  nth,  Meiji,  nth. 
Dear  Sir  :  —  I  have  received  your  kind  letter  dated  February  20th, 
1878.  When,  several  years  ago,  I  had  occasion  to  visit  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution  under  your  guidance  and  saw  the  Indian  arrow- 
heads and  other  stone  implements,  I  stated  the  fact  that  similar  relics 
of  the  past  were  found  in  our  country.  It  is  in  remembrance  of  that 
fact  that  you  have  sent  to  me  the  plates  and  photographs  of  the  relics 
in  question,  and  I  now  express  my  sincere  thanks  for  them.  These 
pictures  will  be  at  once  arranged  in  our  museum,  and  they  will  be  of 
the  greatest  interest  to  our  historians.  And  now  as  my  sincere  recom- 
pense for  the  above  I  have  ordered  the  director  of  our  museum  to 
copy  in  photograph  the  collection  of  our  ancient  stone  and  earthen 
implements,  and  I  will  send  them  to  you  when  they  aire  finished. 
With  compliments, 

Okubo  Toshimichi, 
Minister  of  the  Interior  Department. 

In  May,  1878,  only  a  few  days  after  this  letter 
was  written,  the  news  reached  Washington  by  wire 
that  Mr.  Okubo  had  been  assassinated,  and  the  par- 
ticulars of  the  sad  event  as  subsequently  obtained, 
are  as  follows : 

On  a  pleasant  morning  he  started  from  his  house  for  the  Mikado's 
palace,  where  he  had  an  engagement.  He  was  in  a  carriage  drawn  by 
two  horses,  and  was  preceded  by  a  running  groom.  While  passing 
'through  a  picturesque  dell,  he  saw  two  men  by  the  roadside  with 
flowers  in  their  hands,  and  before  he  could  cast  a  thought  upon  the 
cause  of  their  appearance  in  that  place,  they  drew  their  swords  from 
under  their  garments  and  rushed  upon  the  passing  carriage,  when  they 
were  immediately  joined  by  four  other  men.  They  first  mutilated  the 
horses,  then  killed  the  coachman,  and  in  the  most  barbarous  manner 
murdered  the  minister ;  and  throwing  away  their  weapons,  the  six 
assassins  went  immediately  to  the  gate  of  the  Imperial  palace,  and 
proclaimed  themselves  the  destroyers  of  Okubo.  Before  committing 
their  dreadful  deed  they  wrote  to  two  of  the  Tokio  papers,  proclaim- 
ing their  intentions,  and  those  letters  were  being  read  at  the  very 
moment  the  murder  was  committed.  These  men  were  from  the 
province  of  Kaga,  and  the  chief  reason  assigned  by  them  for  the 
murder  was,  that  they  wished  to  revenge  the  death  of  the  elder  Saigo, 
for  whose  death,  during  the  Satsuma  Rebellion,  they  most  unjustly 


OKUBO   TOSHIMICHI.  1 73 

considered  Okubo  indirectly  responsible ;  and  it  is  a  remarkable  fact 
that  the  man  who  found  and  took  the  body  of  Okubo  to  his  place 
of  residence,  was  the  younger  Saigo,  brother  of  the  famous  Satsuma 
General,  and  now  holding  a  high  position  in  Tokio.  In  due  time  the 
assassins  were  beheaded. 

The  grief  of  the  Nation  on  account  of  this  unjustifiable  assassina- 
tion was  universal,  and  Okubo  was  buried  with  almost  Imperial  honors. 
Among  the  acts  performed  at  the  funeral  was  one  wherein  the  friends 
of  the  departed  were  permitted  to  go  up  to  the  altar  alone,  and  place 
upon  the  bier  some  leaf  or  twig  of  a  favorite  tree,  as  a  token  of  affec- 
tion, and  of  their  belief  in  immortality ;  and  it  is  said  that  when 
Iwakura  Tomomi,  who  had  visited  America  with  Okubo,  and  had  him- 
self a  year  or  two  before  nearly  lost  his  own  life  by  an  assassin,  went 
up  to  deposit  his  tribute,  he  was  affected  to  tears,  and  so  were  many 
Others  in  the  vast  concourse. 

"In  1879,  3.  Tokio  paper  called  attention  to  the 
photographs  and  specimens  which  I  had  long  before 
sent  to  Japan,  stating  that  similar  pictures  of  the 
arrow-heads  of  that  country  had  been  made  to  be 
placed  in  the  Imperial  Museum  by  the  side  of  those 
from  America;  and  the  editor  added  the  pleasant 
words,  moreover,  that  the  present  writer  had  been 
remembered  by  Mr.  Okubo,  as  one  of  his  most 
attentive  American  friends. 

**  The  very  interesting  collection  of  pictures  which 
I  have  mentioned,  reached  me  in  June,  1881.  The 
specimens  depicted,  number  one  hundred  and  fifty- 
four.  So  far  as  the  Japanese  arrow-heads  are  con- 
cerned—  in  size,  shape,  and  variety  of  stone  —  they 
are  precisely  like  those  which  are  common  in  the 
United  States,  and  this  single  fact,  it  seems  to  me,  is 
one  of  great  interest  to  the  students  of  ethnology. 
The  descriptive  list,  or  *  explanatory  index,'  as  it  is 
called,  which  accompanied  the  photographs  in  question, 
gives  the  localities  where  the  relics  were  found,  and 
as  a  taste  of  their  quality,  I  submit  the  following 
brief  descriptions  : 


1/4  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

Stone  Hammers :    Taken  from  an  ancient  topib. 

Stone  Swords:  Taken  from  an  old  fortification  at  Hakodati  in 
Yesso. 

Stone  Axes:  Found  deeply  imbedded  below  the  surface  of  the 
ground. 

Magadamas :  These  stones  are  all  similar  in  shape,  generally  from 
one  half  to  four  inches  long,  and  beautiful.  They  are  among  the  most 
ancient  of  Japanese  relics ;  were  worn  as  ornaments  in  the  hair,  and 
around  the  neck ;  and  chiefly  by  members  of  the  Imperial  family.  It 
is  also  said  that  they  were  sometimes  used  as  money,  and  are  at  this 
time  considered  valuable;  they  are  found  only  in  the  most  ancient 
tombs  ;  and  the  materials  from  which  they  are  made  are  rock-crystal, 
agate,  carnelian,  ruby,  and  other  precious  stones,  and  are  of  many 
colors — red  and  blue  predominating. 

Sexangled  Beads  :     These  are  of  rock-crystal  and  quite  small. 

Kudaishi :  These  are  of  stone,  in  shape  and  size  like  the  stems  of 
the  common  clay  pipe,  and  are  strung  upon  a  thread  similar  to  the 
old  Indian  wampum  of  the  United  States,  which  was  made  of  shells. 

Stone  Arrow-heads :  These  are  numerous,  of  many  sizes,  and  made 
from  various  kinds  of  stone.  Found  everywhere  and  precisely  like 
those  of  America. 

Bronze  Arrow-heads :  These  vary  in  shape,  and  are  especially  inter- 
esting on  account  of  their  novelty.  They  prove  how  the  Stone  was 
followed  by  the  Bronze  age,  even  in  Japan. 

Sword  ornamented  with  Gold:  Very  old  and  greatly  worn  by  rust 
and  rough  usage,  and  found  broken  m  three  pieces.  About  two  and  a 
half  feet  in  length. 

Sword  ornamented  with  Silver :     About  four  feet  long. 

Old  Iron  Helmet :     Found  in  a  tomb  at  Higo. 

Old  Armor  :     Found  in  the  same  province  and  place. 

A  Gilt  Shoe :     Found  in  a  tomb,  and  about  thirteen  inches  long. 

Bronze  Bells :    Very  small,  and  from  the  province  of  Shimodzuke. 

Iron  Bits :    Taken  from  a  tomb  in  Higo. 

Iron  Stirrups :     From  the  same  place. 

White  Bronze  Mirrors  :     From  the  same  place. 

Earthen  Horse:  About  two  and  a  half  feet  high,  and  supposed  to 
have  been  made  fourteen  hundred  years  ago.  In  those  times  it  was 
customary  to  bury  such  images  in  the  tombs  of  famous  men. 

Bronze  Spear :  This  is  without  a  handle,  and  is  nearly  three  feet 
long. 

Stone  Image  :  This  is  of  a  man,  and  nearly  five  feet  high.  It  was 
made  in  the  time  of  the  Emperor  Kuitaiteuno,  A.  D.  530.  In  those 
days  there  was  a  man  named  Iwai,  who  was  extravagant,  cruel  and 
violent,  and  who  revolted  against  the  Emperor.  When  he  came  to 
build  the  tomb  in  which  he  expected  to  lie,  he  surrounded  it  with 


OKUBO   TOSHIMICHI.  1/5 

images  of  men  and  horses  and  shields,  all  made  of  stone.  Soon 
after  this  work  was  completed,  the  Emperor  sent  a  military  force 
to  punish  this  rebel  for  some  of  his  disloyal  conduct ;  to  escape  death 
he  fled  to  another  province,  whereupon  the  army  demolished  the 
greater  part  of  the  images,  of  which  there  were  sixty,  and  they  were 
chiefly  used,  with  other  materials,  in  building  a  wall  near  an  Imperial 
castle  ;  of  those  images,  only  two  were  preserved,  one  of  which  is  now 
in  the  museum  of  Tokio. 

"  It  will  be  remembered  by  many  that  Mr.  Okubo 
was  the  chief  official  to  whom  was  assigned  the  duty 
of  directing  the  Japanese  arrangements  at  our  Cen- 
tennial Exposition  in  1876,  although  not  in  this 
country  at  the  time  ;  and  I  record  the  fact  with  sad- 
ness, that  the  accomplished  young  man,  Hatakeyama, 
who  acted  as  his  secretary  in  1872,  and  was  officially 
connected  with  the  Exposition,  returned  to  Japan 
only  to  die.  He  had  been  educated  in  this  country, 
and  in  various  capacities  had  rendered  important  ser- 
vices to  his  native  land. 

"Before  concluding  this  paper  I  desire  to  empha- 
size the  fact  that  while  I  take  an  interest  in  ancient 
relics  generally,  I  have  not  one  iota  of  respect  for 
those  people  who  are  perpetually  digging  into  the 
earth  for  the  purpose  of  finding  something  that  will 
disprove  the  records  of  the  Bible.  Of  that  brood  of 
dreamers  —  when  we  consider  his  antecedents,  his 
limited  experience  and  audacity  —  I  would  assign  the 
post  of  distinction  to  the  man  whose  exploits  are 
chronicled  in  the  following  extract  from  one  of  the 
newspapers  of  the  day  ; 

Infidelity  — in  Japan  —  is  vigorous  and  aggressive,  clothed  in  the 
garb  of  culture.  An  ex-railroad  clerk  from  Massachusetts,  at  one 
time  strangely  associated  with  the  Tokio  University  as  a  scientist,  was 
a  pronounced  skeptic,  and  exhibited  the  zeal  of  a  ranter  against  the 
Christian  religion,  and  by  working  upon  the  minds  of  the  young  men 
who  came  under  his  influence  did  great  harm  to  evangelical  faith.     He 


176  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

not  only  recommended  the  publication  of  infidel  books,  but  frequently 
went  out  of  his  way  to  ridicule  the  Christian  doctrines  and  the  people 
of  the  United  States. 


"  I  have  no  personal  acquaintance  with  this  man, 
but  the  testimony  is  extant  which  fully  endorses  the 
above  paragraph." 


OKUMA    SHIGENOBU. 

HE  was  born  in  the  province  of  Hizen,  Kiusiu,  in 
1837,  and  having  had  the  advantages  of  the 
best  local  schools,  he  soon  displayed  abilities  of  a 
superior  order.  He  studied  the  Dutch  language  as 
well  as  English,  at  Nagasaki,  and  proved  himself 
competent  to  serve  his  country  in  any  capacity,  but 
did  not  accept  any  public  position  prior  to  the  revolu- 
tion of  1868.  In  that  year,  however,  he  was  appointed 
Chief  Assistant  in  the  Department  for  Foreign  Af- 
fairs ;  in  1869  he  was  made  Secretary  of  the  joint 
departments  of  the  Interior  and  Finance  and  acquitted 
himself  with  discretion  and  ability;  in  1870  he  was 
made  a  Sangi  or  Councillor  of  State,  still  having 
charge  of  the  Finance  Department,  which  had  been 
separated  from  that  of  the  Interior;  in  1871  he  was 
superseded  as  head  of  the  Finance  Department,  but 
still  held  the  position  of  Sangi.  When  the  Exposition 
took  place  at  Vienna,  he  was  made  President  of  the 
Commission  which  represented  the  Japanese  Govern- 
ment at  that  place ;  and  from  the  superb  display  which 
Japan  made  on  that  occasion,  may  be  traced  the 
remarkable  interest  which  has  since  been  felt  by  the 
Western  nations  in  the  art  productions  of  Japan.  When 
the  Expedition  to  Formosa  was  inaugurated,  Mr. 
Okuma  took  a  prominent  part  in  directing  the  affairs 
of  the  Government,  having  been  the  President  of  the 
Commission  sent  to  that  island.     In  1872  he  was  again 

177 


1/8  LEADING   MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

placed  in  charge  of  the  Finance  Department,  and  since 
that  time  has  borne  a  conspicuous  part  in  all  the 
commercial  as  well  as  financial  affairs  of  the  Empire. 

By  way  of  illustrating  the  character  of  Mr.  Okuma 
as  a  member  of  the  Government,  while  at  the  same 
time  giving  an  insight  into  Asiatic  methods  of  doing 
business,  the  subjoined  translation  is  submitted  of  his 
address  to  the  Emperor  of  Japan,  in  January,  1875,  as 
President  of  the  Formosa  Commission  : 

"  In  the  month  of  January,  1874,  the  said  Shigenobu 
and  others,  in  accordance  with  the  confidential  instruc- 
tions they  had  received,  laid  before  Your  Majesty  a 
project  for  the  chastisement  of  the  savages.  In  April 
the  Formosan  Commission  (literally  board  of  affairs 
of  the  savage  land  of  Formosa)  was  instituted,  and 
Shigenobu  was  appointed  its  Chief  to  superintend  all 
business  belonging  to  it.  In  May  the  Commander-in- 
Chief  Saigo  Yorimichi  departed  to  the  land  of  the 
savages  at  the  head  of  a  force,  exterminated  the 
wicked,  pardoned  the  submissive,  and  remained  there 
a  long  time  encamped.  During  the  same  month  the 
Minister  Plenipotentiary  Yanagiwara  Sakimitsu  was 
despatched  to  China,  and  in  August  the  High  Com- 
missioner Plenipotentiary  Okubo  Toshimichi  also  was 
sent  to  the  said  country.  Toshimichi  and  the  others 
worked  diligently  and  devotedly  in  the  discharge  of 
the  important  trust  committed  to  them.  In  October 
a  convention  was  exchanged  with  the  said  country, 
and  in  November  Toshimichi  and  the  rest  reported 
the  fulfillment  of  their  mission.  In  December  Yori- 
michi returned  in  triumph.  From  the  Institution  of 
the  Commission  up  to  this  date  a  period  of  eight 
months  had  elapsed.  Hereupon  the  wrongs  of  the 
sufferers  were  for  the  first  time  redressed,  the  position 
of  a  subject  ban  for  the  first  time  cleared  up,  security 


OKUMA   SHIGENOBU.  1 79 

restored  to  the  mariners  of  all  countries  for  the  first 
time,  and  the  dignity  and  influence  of  the  State  con- 
sequently vindicated. 

"  After  our  tro.ops  had  started  and  were  on  their 
way,  foreign  public  servants  remonstrated ;  the  Chinese 
Government  hastily  despatched  an  envoy,  sent  letters 
and  manifested  a  wide  difference  of  opinion.  Some 
persons  not  comprehending  the  views  of  the  Govern- 
ment, began  to  doubt  whether  it  was  justified  in  the 
course  which  it  was  taking.  Others  discussed  the 
want  of  funds,  and  rumor  became  so  noisy  that  the 
state  was  again  imperilled. 

"Shigenobu  and  the  others  nevertheless  accepted 
the  responsibility,  but  day  and  night  they  were  so 
busily  employed  that  they  feared  lest  their  strength 
might  be  unequal  to  the  task.  Fortunately,  the  wise 
resolution  of  His  Majesty  the  Tennd  never  wavered, 
and  the  councils  of  the  Government  became  still  more 
resolute.  Great  military  preparations  were  made, 
and  the  mind  of  the  people,  both  in  the  towns  and  in 
the  country,  learnt  to  recognize  the  purpose  of  His 
Majesty.  Some  desired  to  cast  away  their  lives  and 
to  die  for  the  national  cause,  others  offered  to  con- 
tribute towards  the  army  expenditure.  The  civil  and 
military  officers  united  all  their  efforts,  and  the  great 
work  of  chastising  the  savages  became  an  accomplished 
fact.  We  have  nothing  to  be  ashamed  of  before 
foreign  nations  concerning  this  measure,  and  its  glory 
will  not  pale  before  the  deeds  done  in  ancient  times. 

"  If,  while  public  rumor  was  clamorous,  we  had 
hesitated  or  drawn  back,  the  injuries  done  to  the 
sufferers  would  not  have  been  redressed,  the  position 
of  a  dependent  han  would  not  have  been  cleared  up, 
the  mariners  of  the  world  would  never  have  known 
security,  and  a  land  of  cannibals  would  have  been 


l80  LEADING    MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

established  forever.  Had  such  been  the  result,  we 
should  not  only  have  been  disgraced  in  the  eyes  of 
the  world,  but  it  would  have  been  a  sign  that  the 
dignity  and  influence  of  the  state  were  about  to  fall 
prostrate.  Consequently  important  interests  were 
involved  in  the  chastisement  of  the  savages. 

"  I  humbly  pray  that  His  Majesty  the  Tenno  will 
eagerly  carry  on  the  work  and  carefully  ponder  ;  that 
by  reflecting  on  the  past  he  may  be  enabled  to  think 
out  the  policy  of  the  future  so  as  to  exalt  his  wise 
work  to  the  highest  pinnacle  and  glory,  and  that  he 
will  not  stop  with  the  chastisement  of  the  savages. 

"Shigenobu  reverently  begs  that  the  name  of  For- 
mosan  Commission  be  now  abolished,  and  himself 
relieved  of  the  title  of  President,  so  that  he  may 
attend  to  the  duties  of  his  proper  office.  As  for  the 
collection  of  the  documents  of  the  Commission  and 
the  audit  of  the  accounts,  this  he  hopes  may  be  com- 
pleted by  the  officials  of  the  regular  service  in  about 
a  month,  and  a  report  can  then  be  made,  together 
with  a  detailed  account  of  all  that  has  been  done  since 
the  institution  of  the  Commission." 


OTORI  KEISUKE. 

HE  was  a  retainer  under  the  Tokugawa  Govern- 
ment, and  after  completing  the  ordinary  edu- 
cation of  his  class  turned  his  attention  to  the  study 
of  military  affairs  in  which  he  became  a  proficient. 
Prior  to  the  year  1861  he  published  a  book  on  the 
subject  of  Infantry  Tactics,  and  soon  afterwards 
another  on  fortifications,  gleaned  chiefly  from  French 
authorities  ;  and  those  two  productions  were  the  first 
ever  printed  in  Japan  from  metal  types,  and  are  said 
to  have  exerted  an  important  influence  on  the  mili- 
tary affairs  of  the  Empire. 

At  the  time  of  the  Restoration  he  had  command 
f  a  large  military  force  in  the  eastern  provinces  ; 
and  although  he  displayed  ability  in  their  manage- 
ment, he  was  defeated,  and  then  joined  the  army 
of  Enomoto  in  the  island  of  Yesso.  After  the  capit- 
ulation at  Hakodate  he  was  sent  as  a  prisoner  to 
Yedo,  where  he  remained  in  confinement  for  two 
years,  having  been  liberated  in  1871.  As  was  the 
case  with  Enomoto,  he  was  treated  with  kind  con- 
sideration by  the  Imperial  Government,  and  was 
appointed  to  several  honorable  positions,  among  which 
was  that  of  an  under  secretary  in  the  Treasury 
Department,  in  which  capacity  he  accompanied 
Voshida  Kinyonari  to  England  when  that  gentleman 
made  his  important  loan.  In  1875  he  was  made  an 
officer  of  the  fourth  rank  in  the  Public  Works  Depart- 

181 


1 82  LEADING   MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

ment,  then  went  upon  a  mission  to  the  Government 
of  Siam,  and  on  his  return  published  an  interest- 
ing account  of  his  travels.  He  is  greatly  respected 
for  his  talents  and  character,  and  as  late  as  the  year 
1 88 1  he  was  still  connected  with  the  Public  Works 
and  Engraving  Departments  of  the  city  of  Tokio. 


OYAMA  IWA-0. 

OYAMA  IWA-0  is  a  member  of  the  Satsuma 
clan,  which  has  •  furnished  so  many  of  the 
typical  heroes  who  flourish  in  the  pages  of  Japanese 
history  "  to  point  a  moral  and  adorn  a  tale  "  :  —  at  once 
guides  and  examples  to  future  ages.  General  Oyama 
is  a  relation  of  the  celebrated  Saigo  Takamori,  a  leader 
in  the  movement  which  restored  the  Imperial  author- 
ity to  the  position  it  had  been  deprived  of  for  over 
three  centuries,  and  who  subsequently  raised  the 
standard  of  rebellion  in  the  southwest,  expiating  his 
error  with  his  life  on  the  fatal  field  of  Shiroyama. 
General  Oyama  bears  a  high  reputation  for  gallantry 
in  action  and  iron  resolution.  He  is  well  educated, 
possessed  of  an  extensive  knowledge  of  strategy,  and 
particularly  careful  of  the  wants  and  comfort  of  his 
soldiers. 

At  the  time  of  the  Restoration  General  Oyama 
associated  himself  with  Okubo  and  the  rest  of  the 
patriotic  party,  and  throughout  his  whole  career  has 
devoted  himself  to  the  best  interests  of  Japan.  After 
the  Restoration  was  accomplished  he  received  the 
appointments  of  lieutenant-general  in  the  army  and 
Assistant  Vice-Minister  of  War.  He  also  received  civil 
promotion  to  the  senior  fifth  class.  When  the  rebellion 
in  the  southwest  occurred,  the  General  was  despatched 
to  the  scene  of  operations  in  charge  of  a  division  of 
troops,  and  rendered  brilliant  service  in  quelling  the 

i83 


184  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

rising.  After  the  conclusion  of  peace  he  was  decorated 
with  the  Japanese  Order  of  the  second  class,  and  since 
then  upon  the  death  of  General  Kawaji,  received  the 
appointment  of  Assistant  Home  Minister  and  Chief  of 
Police.  When  the  changes  of  the  time  took  place  he 
became  Minister  for  War. 


OYANO   IWAO. 

THIS  well-known  and  influential  man  was  born 
in  the  province  of  Satsuma,  and  is  about  forty 
years  of  age.  He  became  interested  in  the  affairs  of  his 
own  country  and  of  the  outside  world  while  yet  a  mere 
youth ;  participated  in  the  late  revolution  with  great 
zeal ;  and  having  visited  Europe,  spent  several  years 
in  Paris  as  a  student.  While  doing  all  in  his  power  to 
have  the  late  Tycoon  relegated  to  his  proper  sphere, 
he  espoused  the  cause  of  the  Mikado,  and  did  much  to 
promote  the  prosperity  of  the  Empire  as  a  loyal  adhe- 
rent to  all  its  interests. 

He  was  a  cousin  and  devoted  friend  of  the  elder 
Saigo,  and  greatly  mourned  over  the  disaffection  which 
resulted  in  rebellion.  After  making  himself  useful  in 
various  ways,  he  was  appointed  to  a  position  in  the 
army ;  then  made  Assistant  Secretary  of  the  Interior 
Department ;  and  while  holding  that  office  he  was  also 
called  upon  to  take  charge  of  the  Police  Affairs  of 
Tokio,  after  the  death  of  Kawajai ;  and  for  those  and 
his  other  services  he  was  presented  with  a  medal  of 
the  second  class  and  honored  with  the  title  of  the 
second  rank  in  the  Government.  He  also  rendered  im- 
portant services  during  the  Satsuma  Rebellion,  where 
he  had  command  of  a  division  of  the  army,  and  was 
compelled  to  do  all  in  his  power  to  overthrow  his  kins- 
man and  friend,  General  Saigo.  In  1880  he  was 
appointed  Secretary  of  War,  and  is  still  in  charge  of 

i8s 


1 86  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

that  Department.  His  habits  are  those  of  a  student, 
and  his  acquired  tastes  have  induced  him  to  live  in  a 
hou5^^  built  after  the  European  style  and  to  indulge  in 
all  l._  household  conveniences  and  luxuries  associated 
with  modern  progress.  He  is  reputed  to  be  a  man  of 
superior  natural  abilities,  and  has  made  the  very  best 
use  of  his  advantages  of  study  in  foreign  countries. 
It  should  be  added  moreover,  that  Mr.  Oyano  has  been 
elevated  to  the  position  of  Sangi ;  and  that,  according 
to  late  intelligence  from  Japan,  had  been  offered  the 
mission  to  France. 


RAI   MIKISABURO. 

RAI  MIKISABURO,  the  third  son  of  Rai  Sanyo, 
was  born  in  Kioto.  He  was  very  clever  from 
his  childhood  and  was  the  beloved  son  of  his  father. 
When  he  was  eighteen  years  old  he  went  to  Yedo 
and  entered  a  school  called  Shohei  Ko,  and  there 
became  intimate  with  Saito  Issai,  Kikuchi  Gosan  and 
Riosen  Seigan.  He  remained  about  one  year,  and 
afterward  visited  various  provinces,  viz.,  Hidachi, 
Kotsuke,  Shimotsuke,  Awa,  Kadzusa  and  Shimosa. 
When  he  was  in  Yedo  he  paid  a  visit  to  the  Kuwan- 
yei  temple.  Perceiving  the  extravagance  displayed 
in  that  edifice,  he  said  sighing,  "  This  temple,  which 
is  very  beautiful,  was  founded  by  the  Tokugawa 
Siogun,  but  Tokugawa  squeezes  the  fat  and  blood  of 
the  country  from  the  provinces  and  spends  them  in 
such  useless  buildings  as  this.  Ah,  Tokugawa  is  a 
great  sinner  and  robber.  Who  shall  not  execrate  his 
name  ? "  While  he  was  on  his  way  home  he  noticed 
a  crest  of  the  Siogun's  family  carved  on  a  stone  lamp 
post.  This  he  threw  down,  and  trampled  upon  the 
emblem,  saying,  "Awoi  (the  hollyhock)  is  the  sign  of 
the  Tokugawa  house ;  it  delights  my  heart  to  tread 
upon  it."  His  companions  endeavored  to  check  him, 
but  he  persisted,  their  efforts  only  increasing  his 
anger.  Hearing  the  disturbance,  a  party  of  Govern- 
ment officers  appeared  and  arrested  Rai  Mikisaburo. 
But  this  offence  was  soon  overlooked  and  he  was 

187 


1 88  LEADING    MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

released.  Afterward  he  returned  to  Kioto,  and  then 
commenced  a  journey  through  the  Western  and 
Southern  provinces.  One  day  an  exhibition  of  pict- 
ures and  famous  writings  was  held  at  Maruyama,  in 
Kioto.  Many  celebrated  artists  assembled  there,  and 
Rai  Mikisaburo  also  attended.  He  fell  into  a  quarrel 
with  one  Ikenouchi  and  spat  in  his  adversary's  face. 
Ikenouchi  tried  to  throw  him  on  the  floor,  but 
Rai  drew  his  sword  to  defend  himself,  whereupon 
Ikenouchi  also  drew  his  sword  and  the  two  began  to 
fight.  The  people  of  the  exhibition  interfered  and 
stopped  their  quarrel.  Rai  often  drew  his  sword  in 
this  way,  but  he  never  hurt  any  one. 

In  those  days  the  American  envoy  arrived  at 
Uraga,  in  So-shiu,  and  presented  a  letter  to  the 
Tokugawa  Government,  asking  for  the  negotiation  of 
a  treaty.  The  authorities  did  not  know  what  they 
should  do,  and  they  contemplated  acting  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  law  of  the  country.  Now  Rai  turned  all 
his  attention  to  the  means  of  getting  the  foreigners 
away  from  the  shores  of  Japan.  About  this  time 
Riosen  Seigan  removed  from  Yedo  to  Kioto,  and  Rai 
concocted  a  plan  with  him  and  collected  a  band  of 
faithful  and  loyal  samurai  from  various  provinces. 
Mumeta  Genjiro  on  hearing  this  was  pleased,  and 
joined  with  them.  One  of  the  results  of  their 
schemes  was  to  secure  the  issuing  of  an  Imperial 
order  by  the  Kioto  Government  to  the  lord  of  Mito, 
upon  the  subject  of  the  expulsion  of  foreigners.  But 
this  plan  was  discovered  by  the  officers  of  the  Toku- 
gawa Government,  and  the  conspirators  were  arrested. 
Rai  being  sent  under  guard  to  Yedo,  he  was  examined 
in  court.  He  stated  that  he  had  indeed  laid  plans  on 
the  principle  of  Son  O  Jo-i,  with  his  faithful  friends. 
He  believed  that  a  man  who,  in  this  crisis  did  not 


RAI    MIKISABURO.  I89 


take  steps  toward  the  necessary  end,  committed  a 
g;reat  crime  toward  his  country  and  should  be  con- 
sidered a  slave  of  the  barbarians.  Who,  he  demanded, 
would  wish  to  be  thus  branded  as  a  criminal  and 
a  slave  of  barbarians  ?  And  he  declared  that  he 
would  have  nothing  to  say  on  any  other  subject. 
The  officers  did  not  press  their  inquiries  further,  but 
caused  him  to  be  imprisoned  for  a  long  time,  at  the 
expiration  of  which  he  was  executed  in  Yedo. 


SAIGO   TAKAMORI. 

BY  the  name  of  Saigo,  the  people  of  Japan  have 
hitherto  recognized  one  of  their  most  famous 
soldiers  and  statesmen.  He  was  born  about  the  year 
1825,  in  the  province  of  Satsuma,  at  the  southern 
extremity  of  the  Empire,  and  belonged  to  the  class 
of  samurai,  or  Retainers.  He  was  well  educated  in 
the  Japanese  and  Chinese  classics,  particularly  in  his- 
tory, and  from  his  boyhood  was  an  acute  observer  and 
enthusiastic  admirer  of  the  patriotic  heroes  of  all 
countries.  He  became  a  leader,  but  not  in  a  boisterous 
manner,  in  all  the  liberal  movements  of  his  province 
and  of  the  Empire,  and  he  was  the  bosom  friend  of 
many  men  who  sacrificed  their  lives  in  the  national 
cause,  and  especially  of  all  those  who  were  anxious  to 
emancipate  their  countrymen  from  the  rule  of  the 
Tycoon,  who  had  oppressed  them  for  nearly  three 
centuries.  He  was  one  of  the  most  trusted  subjects 
and  special  favorites  of  the  famous  Prince  of  Satsuma, 
who  died  about  the  year  1858,  and  whose  younger 
brother  became  the  second  Minister  of  State  in  the 
Empire,  and  he  served  his  prince  most  faithfully  in 
carrying  out  his  enlightened  policy. 

It  was  the  policy  of  Saigo  to  promote  such  meas- 
ures as  he  conceived  would  save  the  Empire  from  the 
despotism  of  the  Tycoon's  Government,  and  at  the 
same  time  from  foreign  aggressors,  and  to  this  end  he 
repeatedly  manifested  his  willingness  to  sacrifice  his 

190 


SAIGO   TAKAMORI.  IQI 


possessions  and  even  his  life.  The  Prince  of  Satsuma 
shared  his  desire  to  set  aside  the  Tycoon  and  restore 
to  the  Mikado  the  supreme  rule  of  the  Empire,  and 
sought  to  counteract  the  cunning  intrigues  of  the 
Tycoon  and  his  followers,  who,  for  centuries,  had 
exalted  the  Mikado  to  such  an  apparently  high  posi- 
tion that  it  was  thought  condescending  in  him  to 
meddle  with  the  temporal  government ;  hence  had 
invested  him  with  the  name  Spiritual  Emperor.  By 
a  restoration  of  the  only  rightful  ruler  of  Japan  to  the 
full  measure  of  his  authority,  Saigo  perceived  that  one 
central  government  would  be  established  in  the  stead 
of  nearly  three  hundred  provincial  governments  under 
the  administration  of  the  Tycoons ;  and  by  the  con- 
centration of  the  governing  power  in  the  person  of  an 
Emperor  who  was  the  focus  of  the  reverential  respect 
and  devoted  affection  which  all  the  Japanese  of  every 
grade  cherished  for  the  Imperial  lineage,  he  believed 
that  the  greatest  good  could  be  done  for  the  greatest 
number  of  the  people. 

About  the  year  1857,  while  Saigo  was  thus  zealously 
engaged  in  the  pursuit  of  this  patriotic  cause,  the 
Tycoon's  Government  issued  a  secret  warrant  for  his 
arrest,  because  of  his  supposed  hostility  to  the  exist- 
ing administration.  It  became  impossible,  therefore, 
for  him  to  remain  in  Yedo,  and  he  departed  from  the 
capital  to  his  home  in  Satsuma.  A  large  force  of 
police  was  soon  sent  to  apprehend  him  and  his  asso- 
ciates ;  and  as  it  was  found  unsafe  for  him  to  remain 
on  any  of  the  large  islands,  he  was  ordered  by  the 
Prince  of  Satsuma  to  assume  a  fictitious  name,  leave 
Satsuma  and  take  up  his  residence  on  a  remote  islet 
belonging  to  the  Prince,  which  was  named  Ohsima, 
and  lay  in  the  Pacific  Ocean,  near  Loo  Choo.  There 
Saigo  passed  more  than  three  years  in  exile.     In  1861, 


192  LEADING    MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

when  the  political  storm  had  blown  over,  he  was  sum- 
moned to  his  home  again.  During  his  absence  the 
Prince  of  Satsuma  had  died,  but  Saigo  found  in  his 
younger  brother,  Prince  Shimadzu,  an  equally  zealous 
supporter  of  his  political  policy.  His  zeal  for  the 
national  cause  had  only  been  strengthened  by  his  long 
confinement,  and  he  proceeded  at  once  to  take  an 
active  part  in  the  political  movements  of  the  time. 

In  1862  Prince  Shimadzu,  accompanied  by  a  large 
number  of  leading  patriots,  among  whom  Saigo  and 
Okubo  were  the  foremost,  proceeded  to  the  national 
capital,  Saikio,  then  called  Kioto,  where  the  Mikado 
then  resided,  and  presented  to  the  Emperor  a  memorial, 
which  afterwards  served  as  the  "  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence "  of  the  recent  Revolution  in  Japan.  There- 
upon Saigo  was  again  banished  to  a  remote  island. 
He  was  conveyed  thither  in  a  small  Japanese  junk, 
and  was  made  as  uncomfortable  as  possible  on  the 
voyage,  but  he  endured  his  sufferings  without  a  word 
of  complaint.  When  the  sailors  offered  him  some 
relief  he  declined  to  receive  it,  saying  that  as  the 
state  had  ordered  him  thus  to  suffer,  he  would  submit. 
The  cause  of  this  second  exile  was,  therefore,  some- 
what different  from  the  former  one.  That  was  reported 
and  believed  to  be  in  consequence  of  some  difference 
in  political  opinions  between  the  Prince  of  Satsuma 
and  Saigo,  although  some  persons  think  that  the 
difference  was  more  apparent  than  real.  The  prince 
certainly  seems  to  have  listened  to  men  who  immedi- 
ately surrounded  him,  and  who  were  the  bitter  oppo- 
nents of  Saigo,  and  they,  perhaps,  misled  him  to  the 
belief  that  his  own  views  and  those  of  Saigo  were 
irreconcilable. 

In  a  few  months  after  his  arrival  on  the  island  to 
which  he  was  now  banished  the  second  time,  Saigo 


SAIGO    TAKAMORI.  I93 


was  transferred  to  another  and  a  smaller  island, 
avowedly  to  add  to  his  sufferings.  Three  weary  years 
thus  passed  away,  and  at  last,  in  1866,  it  was  found 
that  the  services  of  Saigo  were  again  required  by  his 
country.  Messengers  were  despatched  to  liberate  him, 
and  he  again  returned  to  his  home.  But  a  terrible 
change  had  been  effected  in  his  physical  health.  When 
he  was  taken  out  of  the  cage  in  which  he  had  been 
confined,  and  which  was  so  small  that  he  could  not 
stand  erect  in  it,  he  could  not  stand  at  all,  and  a  con- 
siderable time  elapsed  before  he  could  walk  even  with 
the  support  of  two  men.  In  this  plight  he  made  the 
voyage  of  nearly  fourteen  days  from  the  island  of  his 
imprisonment  to  Kagashima,  a  city  of  Satsuma. 

The  reception  he  met  with  from  his  compatriots 
and  relatives  upon  his  return  was  extraordinary.  Its 
enthusiasm,  probably,  never  was  surpassed  in  any 
country.  In  due  time  strength  and  health  were 
restored  to  him,  and  then  he  again  began  to  take  a 
lively  part  in  the  affairs  of  his  nation.  In  the  Revolu- 
tion of  1867  and  1868  he  was  a  prominent  leader,  and 
was  of  course  an  earnest  advocate  of  the  policy  of 
abolishing  the  Tycoonate  and  restoring  the  Imperial 
Government  to  its  full  functions,  which  was  finally 
accomplished  by  the  combined  efforts  of  several  patri- 
otic bans,  or  principalities,  and  their  Retainers. 
The  Tycoon's  abdication  took  place  at  Osaka  in 
November,  1867,  at  a  time  when  all  the  representa- 
tives of  foreign  powers  were  assembled  at  the  port  of 
Osaka  for  the  negotiation  in  regard  to  the  opening  of 
the  port  of  Kobe.  But  the  Tycoon's  party  or  follow- 
ers considered  the  abdication  a  forced  one,  and  rose 
in  arms.  Led  by  the  Idsu  han,  or  the  Retainers 
of  the  Prince  of  Idsu,  the  disaffected  army,  composed 
of  nearly  thirty  thousand  men,  began  a  march  upon 


194  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAi'AN. 

Kioto.  Perceiving  the  motive  of  this  movement,  the 
Mikado  ordered  the  Imperial  troops  to  oppose  their 
entrance  into  the  city.  But  the  Imperial  army  num- 
bered only  about  four  thousand  men.  Nevertheless 
it  did  not  shrink  from  an  open  combat.  Early  in  Jan- 
uary, 1868,  many  skirmishes  took  place  between  the 
opposing  forces  at  places  between  Osaka  and  Kioto. 
At  last  two  days  of  hard  fighting  decided  the  fate 
of  the  rebellion,  and  the  thirty  thousand  insurrec- 
tionists were  routed  and  retreated  to  Osaka.  The 
Tycoon  soon  afterward  embarked-  at  Osaka  on  a  for- 
eign vessel,  and  betook  himself,  with  many  of  his 
adherents,  to  Yedo. 

Among  the  foremost  officers  whose  heroism  inspired 
the  victorious  army  to  its  extraordinary  success,  were 
Saigo,  Okubo  and  Kido,  and  the  names  of  all  three  of 
them  are  familiar  in  the  subsequent  history  of  Japan. 
Although  Kido  was  not  present  in  Kioto,  his  influ- 
ence with  the  loyal  party  and  the  soldiers  was  very 
great.  Immediately  after  the  overthrow  of  the  rebel 
forces,  the  Imperial  army  was  swelled  to  an  immense 
strength  by  voluntary  enlistments  throughout  the 
Empire,  and  within  two  months  after  the  events  that 
have  been  recounted,  it  marched  towards  Yedo  under 
the  command  of  an  Imperial  prince,  Saigo  acting  as 
lieutenant-general  and  aide-de-camp.  On  the  day  of 
its  entrance  into  the  great  city  Yedo,  it  was  met  by 
Mr.  Katz,  a  civil  dignitary  of  the  deposed  Tycoon. 
An  interview  took  place  between  Saigo  and  Katz,  at 
Shinagawa,  four  miles  from  the  Tycoon's  palace,  and 
the  result  of  their  negotiation  was  the  unconditional 
surrender  of  the  Tycoon.  Thus  peace  was  nominally 
restored  on  land.  It  was  the  general  belief  that  no 
other  two  men  could  have  been  found  capable  of 
adjusting  this  negotiation.      Katz  was  loyal   to  the 


SAIGO   TAKAMORI.  1 95 

Emperor,  although  he  belonged  to  the  Tycoon's  clan  ; 
and  he  is  at  the  present  time  Secretary  of  the  Navy 
Department  of  Japan. 

Another,  and  the  last,  demonstration  made  by 
the  Tycoon's  adherents,  was  headed  by  Enomoto, 
the  Tycoon's  admiral.  He  took  command  of  a 
squadron  (although  his  proceedings  are  not  sup- 
posed to  have  been  approved  by  the  Tycoon),  and 
went  to  Hakodate,  as  if  to  capture  and  retain 
possession  of  Yesso.  His  plans  were,  however, 
all  frustrated  by  the  zeal  of  the  Imperial  forces. 
Numerous  fights  occurred  at  several  points  between 
Yedo  and  the  northern  extremity  of  the  "Empire, 
and  finally  the  rebels  all  withdrew  to  the  fortress 
of  Hakodate,  where  they  defended  themselves  skil- 
fully by  land  and  sea  with  the  aid  of  three  French- 
men, who  were  formerly  employed  by  the  Tycoon 
as  military  instructors.  Their  military  leader.  General 
Otori,  it  is  said,  displayed  great  skill  and  fortitude. 
But  they  were  compelled  at  last  to  surrender  to 
the  Imperial  army,  in  April,  1869,  and  with  their 
surrender  the  civil  war  came  to  an  end. 

The  leading  rebels,  at  the  time  of  the  capitula- 
tion, implored,  it  is  said,  that  they  alone  should 
be  subjected  to  severe  punishments,  and  that  the 
minor  officers  and  the  common  soldiers  should  be 
pardoned.  We  do  not  know  whether  their  petition 
had  any  influence ;  but  we  are  informed  that  in  fact 
only  seven  or  eight  of  them  were  imprisoned,  and 
that  after  the  lapse  of  three  years,  even  these  were 
unconditionally  released  by  the  Imperial  pardon.  It 
is  an  interesting  circumstance,  in  view  of  our  own 
appointment  of  Mr.  Orr,  of  South  Carolina,  to  a 
similar  embassy,  that  the  principal  leader  of  the 
rebels  is  to-day  the  Japanese  envoy  to  the  Court  of 


196  LEADING   MEN   OF  JAPAN. 

St.  Petersburg.  The  magnanimity  thus  manifested 
by  the  Imperial  Government  towards  Enomoto  and 
his  followers  was  unparalleled  in  the  annals  of  Japan, 
if  not  in  the  history  of  mankind.  Many  of  the  rebels 
are  now  in  office,  and  enjoy  the  confidence  of  the 
Government. 

Saigo  has  been  more  or  less  connected  with  military 
affairs  all  his  life.  During  the  Revolution  he  was,  as 
we  have  related,  appointed  lieutenant-general,  and 
afterwards  he  became  the  field  marshal  of  the 
Empire. 

When  the  new  government  was  fully  established 
in  1869,  Saigo  returned  to  his  home  in  the  country. 
He  was  soon  appointed  Chief  Minister  or  Secretary 
of  the  province  of  Satsuma.  In  this  capacity  he 
accomplished  many  important  and  wholesome  reforms, 
particularly  in  respect  to  the  development  of  industry 
and  education,  and  his  measures  of  reform  were  so 
wisely  framed  that  they  were  copied  throughout  the 
whole  Empire.  In  1870  it  was  generally  considered 
that  Saigo's  immediate  cooperation  in  the  Imperial 
administration  was  grearty  needed,  and  the  Emperor 
sent  his  well-known  ambassador,  Iwakura,  to  consult 
with  him  on  affairs  of  state,  and  to  invite  him  to  take 
a  portfolio  in  the  Imperial  Cabinet.  To  this  appeal 
he  listened  favorably.  He  accompanied  Iwakura  and 
Okubo  to  Yedo,  and  he  was  appointed  Councillor 
of  State,  with  the  title  of  Shosammi  —  the  third  rank 
in  the  Empire. 

He  held  that  office  when  the  embassy  returned 
to  Japan  from  America  and  Europe,  but  when  the 
Corean  question  came  up,  which  caused  a  dissolution 
of  the  Cabinet  or  Privy  Council,  he,  with  several  of 
his  associates,  withdrew  again  into  private  life. 

One   of  the   most   significant   features   of   Saigo's 


SAIGO    TAKAMORI.  1 9/ 

character  is  indicated  by  the  fact  that,  reared  though 
he  was  amidst  the  most  tumultuous  factions,  and 
entreated  by  some  of  the  most  dissatisfied  and  influ- 
ential men  to  take  active  part  against  the  existing 
Cabinet  in  Japan,  he  never  displayed  the  slightest 
inclination  to  become  the  leader  of  a  faction,  but,  on 
the  contrary,  inculcated  among  his  associates  and 
followers  the  doctrine  of  entire  and  peaceful  with- 
drawal from  political  strife.  He  felt  that  he  had 
done  his  full  duty  while  he  remained  in  active  dis- 
charge of  the  administration  of  affairs,  and  when 
he  was  defeated  in  his  liberal  policy  by  a  majority, 
he  considered  that  it  was  his  part  to  keep  quiet  and 
to  wait  for  a  reversal  in  popular  opinion  and  in  the 
existing  order  of  the  state,  as  became  a  loyal  citizen. 
In  this  condition  he  remained  for  several  years  in 
solitude  at  his  countr}'  home,  indulging  himself  in 
hunting,  shooting,  and  other  rural  pastimes. 

In  the  early  part  of  1877,  however,  the  astounding 
news  went  abroad  that  the  province  of  Satsuma,  long 
considered  without  a  rival  in  power  and  influence,  had 
rebelled  against  the  Imperial  Government  of  Japan. 
The  precise  cause  of  this  open  hostility  was  for  a  long 
time  inexplicable  ;  and  while  it  was  asserted  that  the 
instigator  and  leader  of  this  rebellion  was  General 
Saigo,  neither  the  masses  of  the  people  in  Japan,  nor 
the  officials  of  the  Government,  could  believe  that  the 
charge  was  true.  It  must  be  confessed,  however,  that 
there  were  people  in  Japan  who  believed  that  he  had 
reaily  been  anxious  to  see  established  in  Japan  a  mili- 
tary despotism,  of  which  he  should  be  the  head  under 
the  Mikado. 

Even  his  brother  (who  is  a  general  in  the  Japanese 
army,  and  who  visited  this  country  as  Chief  Commis- 

)ner  to  the  Centennial  Exposition)  could  not  under- 


198  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

Stand  the  meaning  of  the  strange  intelligence  which 
reached  him  in  this  country. 

As  the  new  Rebellion  proceeded,  however,  and 
especially  when  it  began  to  feel  the  force  of  success- 
ful military  operations  under  the  national  flag,  the 
elder  Saigo  was  found  to  be  the  ruling  spirit  among 
the  insurgents,  he  was  proclaimed  an  outcast  and  a 
rebel,  a  decree  issued  depriving  him  of  his  rank,  and  a 
price  was  set  upon  his  head.  The  astonishment  that 
filled  the  hearts  of  the  loyal  people  throughout  the 
Empire  was  something  quite  unprecedented,  as  he  had 
always  been  known  as  a  man  of  peace  and  order.  It 
was  in  September,  1877,  that  the  Rebellion  finally 
collapsed,  and  the  event  was  commemorated  by  the 
suicide,  within  a  short  time,  of  Saigo  and  some  half 
dozen  of  his  leading  supporters. 

That  this  noted  man  will  take  his  place  in  history 
as  an  extraordinary  character  is  most  certain,  and  the 
difficulty  will  be  to  fix  his  position,  for  he  must  be 
remembered  as  a  great  partisan  and  chief,  a  hero,  a 
patriot,  a  statesman  of  integrity,  and  a  rebel.  He  had 
much  to  do,  as  already  shown,  with  the  extinction  of 
the  Shogunate  in  1867,  and  was  behind  no  man  in  his 
devotion  to  the  Emperor.  In  1868  he  received  the 
highest  encomiums  of  that  sovereign,  and,  as  we  have 
seen,  was  offered  one  or  more  of  the  highest  positions 
in  the  Government. 

In  1873  he  suddenly  left  the  public  service  because 
of  the  refusal  of  the  Government  to  organize  a  war 
upon  Corea,  and  from  that  time  would  seem  to  have 
devoted  himself  in  his  retirement  to  the  establishment 
of  a  so-called  military  school  at  Kagoshima,  upon  a 
scale  that  proved  that  his  real  object  was  the  creation 
of  an  armed  force  devoted  to  himself.  At  that  place 
he  made  his  first  stand  as  a  rebel  chief,  but  was 


SAIGO   TAKAMORI.  I99 


defeated  there  as  well  as  at  other  points  where  he  and 
his  forces  appeared  in  hostile  array.     He  was  also 
influenced  in  his  hostility  against  the  legitimate  rulers  i 
by  the  edict  against  wearing  two  swords,  the  yielding  j 
up  of  Saghalin  to  Russia  in  exchange  for  the  Kurile  } 
Islands,  and  the  capitalization  of  the  pensions  of  the  i 
samurai.     He  took  up  arms,  not  against  the  Mikado, 
but  against  the  managing  men  of  the  Government ; 
and  while  willing  to  welcome  to  the  shores  of  Japan 
what  is  popularly  termed  modern  civilization,  he  ended 
his  days  as  if  he  had  been  living  in  one  of  the  older 
centuries.     Aside  from  the  ignominy  that  must  rest 
upon  him  as  a  rebel,  he  will  be  remembered  as  a  gal- 
lant Japanese  gentleman  and  a  grand  type  of  the  old 
school  of  statesmen  in  that  Empire. 

"  If  we  all  had  known  at  the  beginning,"  said  one 
of  the  Japanese  papers,  "  the  treason  that  was  in  his 
heart,  instead  of  loving  Saigo  so  greatly,  we  should 
have  hated  him  enough  to  have  eaten  all  his  flesh  off 
his  bones."  Another  also  said :  *•  This  treason  is 
not  of  human  origin,  but  is  a  supernatural  dispensa- 
tion." And  still  another :  "  His  heart  was  as  clear 
as  the  bright  moon  above  and  his  conduct  as  high  as 
a  lofty  mountain.  But  the  great  works  performed  by 
him  have  passed  away  like  a  wave  of  the  Southern 
sea." 

The  man  of  all  others  who  most  earnestly  coin- 
cided with  Saigo  in  promoting  the  restoration  of  the 
Mikado,  was  Kido  Takayossi,  and  they  were  attached 
friends.  During  the  progress  of  the  Satsuma  Rebel- 
lion, Kido  was  taken  sick  at  Kioto,  where  he  died ; 
and  it  is  said  that  during  his  entire  illness  he  was 
constantly  talking  about  the  affairs  of  the  Nation,  and 
among  his  last  words  were  the  following,  apparently 
addressed  to  his  old  friend  :   "  Ah,  Saigo !    are  you 


200  LEADING    MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

Still  doing  that  ?  Stop  your  course.  Don't  act  in 
that  way  against  the  true  welfare  of  your  country  ! " 
In  due  time  by  a  mutual  friend,  this  incident  was 
repeated  to  Saigo  in  Satsuma,  and  his  reply  was  to 
this  effect :  "  Kido  is  gone,  and  it  will  not  be  long 
before  I  shall  follow  him." 

The  universal  popularity  of  Saigo  when  in  his 
prime,  was  something  quite  remarkable,  and  was 
chiefly  due,  according  to  the  testimony  of  those  who 
knew  him,  to  his  personal  character  and  qualities. 
He  was  in  person  a  large,  well-built  and  powerful 
man,  and  notwithstanding  his  dark  bushy  eyebrows, 
his  face  wore  the  expression  of  kind  simplicity  and 
frankness.  He  was  a  good  swordsman,  and,  as 
already  stated,  fond  of  field  sports,  both  fishing 
and  hunting ;  he  was  not  partial  to  study,  and  when 
in  office  always  found  his  public  duties  irksome ; 
morally,  he  was  considered  intrepid  and  courageous 
to  the  last  degree ;  he  scorned  the  accumulation  of 
money,  and  was  always  ready  to  help  the  needy  with 
his  purse ;  in  his  home  habits  he  was  sober,  frugal, 
self-denying  and  unostentatious  ;  by  the  people  of 
Japan  he  was  considered  at  one  time  the  beau  ideal 
of  a  samurai ;  and  it  is  strange  that,  while  he  lived 
the  life  of  a  true  patriot,  he  died  with  the  blight 
of  traitor  resting  upon  his  name.  He  wanted  his 
native  province  to  continue  forever  the  ruling  force 
of  the  whole  Empire,  and  cherished  the  dream  that 
the  governing  element  in  all  the  departments  of  the 
public  service  should  be  the  samurai. 

With  regard  to  the  manner  of  Saigo's  death  there 
is  some  doubt,  but  the  following  is  positively  asserted  : 

During  the  principal  battle  of  the  campaign  he  received  what  was 
considered  a  fatal  wound  from  a  bullet,  whereupon  one  of  his  lieu- 
tenants, as  an  act  of  friendship,  proceeded,  with  his  sword,  to  sever 


SAIGO   TAKAMORI.  201 

the  head  of  the  General  from  his  shoulders,  in  order  to  spare  him  the 
disgrace  of  falling  alive  into  the  hands  of  the  Imperial  forces.  This 
done,  his  head  was  delivered  to  one  of  his  servants  for  concealment, 
and  the  officer  who  had  decapitated  him  then  committed  suicide.  And 
with  this  tragedy  the  Rebellion  came  suddenly  to  an  end. 

Since  writing  the  foregoing  the  compiler  has 
received  some  further  particulars  of  Saigo,  which 
are  as  follows : 

During  the  years  of  Kaiyei  (1848-53),  while  in 
Kioto,  he  formed  a  friendship  with  a  priest  of  the 
temple  called  H6sh6-In,  at  Kiyomidzu,  by  the  name 
of  Gessho,  who,  like  Saigo,  was  an  ardent  upholder 
of  the  Kinn6  (literally,  duty  toward  the  Emperor) 
cause,  and  who  was  a  favorite  of  Kinnoye,  a  kuge  of 
high  rank. 

In  the  autumn  of  1858  Saigo  was  induced,  against 
his  judgment,  to  make  a  journey  to  Mito  as  the 
bearer  of  a  message  from  Kinnoye,  delivered  to  him 
through  Gessho,  to  the  Daimio  of  that  province,  who 
was  confined  in  his  Yashiki  by  the  Bakufu  (govern- 
ment of  the  Shogun).  The  Imperial  court  had  ex- 
pressed a  desire  that  the  Daimio  of  Mito  should  be 
appointed  one  of  the  advisers  of  the  Bakufu,  as  he 
was  known  to  be  a  staunch  upholder  of  the  Kinno 
cause,  and  the  message  that  Saigo  carried  was  an 
official  notice  of  the  desired  appointment.  But  he 
failed  to  carry  out  his  mission  as  he  had  expected, 
and  came  to  Yedo.  After  remaining  there  a  short 
time  he  returned  to  Kioto,  where  he  resided  with 
Gessho,  Umiyeda,  and  Yechiji,  all  adherents  of  the 
Emperor's  cause,  and  with  whom  he  consulted  as  to 
the  best  steps  to  be  taken  for  the  overthrow  of  the 
Shdgunate. 

In  the  meantime  the  Bakufu  had  commenced  a 
rigorous  persecution  of  all  partisans  of   the  Kinno 


202  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

cause.  Saigo  and  his  friends  were  especially  the 
objects  of  its  hatred,  but  for  some  time  no  severe 
measures  were  taken  against  them,  probably  through 
a  wholesome  fear  of  the  Satsuma  party.  At  length, 
however,  Gessho  was  threatened,  and  his  life  being  in 
great  danger,  by  the  advice  of  Kinnoye  he  escaped 
in  a  kago  to  Osaka,  closely  pursued  by  the  officers  of 
the  Bakufu.  Saigo  and  Umiyeda  together  managed 
to  protect  his  flight,  and  to  get  him  safely  into  hiding 
at  Osaka.  Saigo  then  went  back  to  Kioto,  but  after 
a  short  stay,  finding  that  Gessho' s  life  was  still 
threatened,  he  hastily  returned  to  Osaka  and  induced 
Gessho  to  attempt  flight  into  Satsuma.  Accord- 
ingly, accompanied  by  Umiyeda,  they  procured  a 
junk  and  set  sail  for  the  south.  They  were  chased 
by  their  enemies,  and  narrowly  eluding  pursuit  arrived 
at  Shimonoseki.  Leaving  Gessho  behind,  Saigo  pro- 
ceeded to  Satsuma  to  procure  a  hiding  place.  Ges- 
sho, however,  was  compelled  to  fly,  and  came  to 
Fukuoka,  in  Chikuzen,  and  after  many  narrow  escapes, 
by  the  assistance  of  a  certain  samurai  named  Hirano, 
managed  to  make  his  way  to  Satsuma,  where  he 
took  refuge  in  a  temple.  In  the  meantime  Saigo 
was  urging  the  Satsuma  authorities  to  afford  pro- 
tection to  Gessho  ;  but  owing  probably  to  fear  of  the 
Bakufu,  assistance  was  refused.  Meanwhile  the  Bak- 
ufu authorities  were  endeavoring  to  procure  spies 
at  Fukuoka  who  would  undertake  to  go  to  Kago- 
shima  and  capture  Gessho. 

On  the  fifteenth  of  October,  in  the  dead  of  the 
night,  Saigo  came  to  the  temple  where  Gessho  had 
taken  refuge,  and  found  him  and  Hirano  sleeping. 
He  silently  roused  them,  and  Gessho  at  once  compre- 
hended from  the  anxiety  visible  in  his  friend's  counte- 
nancCj  the  imminence  of  his  danger  and  the  necessity 


SAIGO   TAKAMORI.  203 


for  immediate  flight.  Taking  with  them  the  priest's 
servant  Insuke,  they  entered  a  junk  and  set  sail  to 
the  east.  The  boat  was  amply  provided  with  food 
and  sakcy  and  a  feast  was  prepared  and  partaken  of. 
Suddenly  without  a  word  Saigo  rose,  and  embracing 
Gessho,  plunged  with  him  into  the  sea  and  disap- 
peared. After  a  few  moments  they  reappeared  on 
the  surface,  and  were  at  once  seized  by  the  bewil- 
dered occupants  of  the  junk  and  dragged  on  board. 
Both  were  found  to  be  senseless.  Saigo,  a  robust, 
powerful  man,  after  a  time  revived,  but  all  efforts 
to  restore  life  to  Gessho  were  in  vain.  Saigo's 
motive  for  this  action  has  been  accounted  for  in 
various  ways,  but  the  most  probable  solution  is  that, 
despairing  of  saving  his  friend,  he  resolved  to  perish 
with  him. 

Saigo  now  changed  his  name  to  Kikuchi  Genjo, 
but  the  Satsuma  authorities,  dreading  the  vengeance 
of  the  Bakufu  for  permitting  the  escape  of  its  intended 
victim,  banished  him  to  Oshima,  where  he  again 
changed  his  name,  taking  that  of  Oshima-Sanye- 
mon,  in  consequence  of  his  having  three  times  visited 
this  place  of  banishment.  In  spite  of  the  bodily 
hardships  that  he  had  to  endure  during  the  years 
of  exile  spent  on  this  island,  he  continued  to  culti- 
vate his  mind,  and  never  wavered  in  his  firm  resolve 
to  overthrow  the  Sh6gunate  and  restore  the  Mikado 
to  legitimate  power. 

In  1863,  when  the  itruggle  between  the  Imperial 
Court  and  the  Bakufu  grew  more  open  and  bitter, 
Shimadzu,  lord  of  Satsuma,  pardoned  Saigo,  and 
recalling  him,  placed  him  at  the  head  of  the  admin- 
istration of  affairs  in  his  province.  In  1865,  when 
the  Bakufu  and  Choshiu  clan  were  in  open  warfare, 
Saigo  arranged  an  alliance  offensive  and   defensive 


204  LEADING   MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

between  this  clan  and  his  own.  In  1867  ^^  attended 
the  great  meeting  at  Kioto  and  profoundly  impressed 
the  assembly  by  the  truth  and  shrewdness  of  his 
counsels.  In  1868  he  was  appointed  adviser  to  the 
Commander-in-chief  of  the  Imperial  forces. 

When  the  Mikado's  troops  advanced  as  far  as  Shin- 
agawa  in  the  final  struggle  with  the  Shogun,  Katsu 
Awa  in  an  interview  with  Saigo  begged  him  to  cease 
hostilities,  as  Keiki,  the  irresolute  and  effeminate 
head  of  the  Bakufu,  was  willing  to  surrender.  This 
was  at  midnight,  and  Saigo  straightway  asked  to 
be  furnished  with  a  proof  of  submission.  Katsu 
Awa  said  that  on  the  following  day  the  castle  at 
Yedo  should  be  surrendered.  Saigo  at  once  replied, 
"  If  to-morrow,  why  not  to-night .''  There  is  no  need 
to  wait."  The  terms  were  made  and  the  castle  was 
given  up. 

After  this  Saigo  accompanied  Arisugawa,  the  pres- 
ent commander  of  the  Imperial  forces,  to  Echigo,  in 
an  expedition  against  a  number  of  rebels  who  had 
not  yet  thrown  down  their  arms.  After  subduing 
these,  Saigo  was  ordered  to  reduce  to-  submission 
the  retainers  of  the  Shogun's  cause  who  had  made 
their  way  to  Yedo,  which  he  undertook  to  do  in 
thirty  days,  and  he  accomplished  the  task,  giving 
proof  of  excellent  judgment  and  great  valor.  For 
this  the  Government  at  once  wished  to  appoint  him 
to  the  office  of  sangi,  but  he  declined  the  distinction 
and  returned  home. 

On  the  second  day  of  July  the  Mikado  acknowl- 
edged his  services  in  the  following  terms  : 

You  have  been  the  strongest  upholder  of  my  cause,  and  you  have 
for  years  been  zealously  endeavoring  to  secure  my  restoration.  Owing 
to  your  skill  as  military  commander,  in  obtaining  possession  of  Yedo 
Castle,  in  gaining  the  victories  of  Echigo,  and  by  your  diligence  in  all 


SAIGO    TAKAMORI.  20$ 

affairs  connected  with  my  service,  you  have  gained  for  me  the  peace 
I  to-day  enjoy.  I  honor  your  actions,  and  as  a  reward  therefor  decree 
to  you  an  income  of  two  thousand  kokus  of  rice  per  year. 

This  Saigo  likewise  declined  to  accept,  but  on  the 
Mikado's  ordering  him  to  receive  it,  he  complied. 

In  1 87 1  Saigo  was  recalled  by  the  Emperor  and 
elevated  to  the  office  of  sangi,  with  the  rank  of  jiis- 
sami.  In  May,  1873,  he  was  appointed  general  of 
the  Imperial  army,  still  retaining  the  office  of  sangi. 
In  October  of  the  same  year  arose  the  Corean  ques- 
tion which  led  to  a  disagreement  between  Saigo  cind 
some  of  the  other  members  of  the  Cabinet,  unfor- 
tunately resulting  in  Saigo's  withdrawal  and  return 
to  Satsuma.  Since  that  time  the  Government  has 
made  frequent  overtures  to  him,  and  the  Emperor 
has  more  than  once  ordered  the  return  of  the  man 
most  influential  in  effecting  his  restoration,  and  whose 
firm  devotion  to  the  throne  he  re-established  still, 
we  thoroughly  believe,  remains  unchanged.  But  from 
dislike  to  some  of  those  who  surround  the  sovereign, 
and  who,  he  has  reason  to  suppose,  seek  to  advance 
their  personal  power  instead  of  laboring  for  the 
dignity  and  welfare  of  the  Empire  at  large,  he  has 
remained  in  retirement,  devoting  his  time  to  the 
direction  of  a  system  of  **  private  schools,"  or,  as  we 
now  know,  military  academies  established  by  him, 
and  supported  to  some  extent  by  the  pension  decreed 
to  him  by  the  Mikado  as  a  reward  for  his  faithful 
services. 


SAMESHIMA   NAONOBU. 

THE  Japanese  minister,  Sameshima  Naonobu, 
who  died  in  Paris,  in  1880,  was,  in  many 
respects,  an  interesting  character.  He  was  born  in 
Satsuma,  Japan,  about  the  year  1845;  was  educated 
in  the  local  school  of  that  province,  and  studied 
Dutch  and  English  at  Magasaki.  In  1865  he  was 
one  of  fifteen  Satsuma  students  who  went  to  Europe 
to  prosecute  their  studies,  almost  all  of  whom  subse- 
quently became  useful  to  their  Government,  and 
among  whom  were  Mr.  Yoshida,  minister  to  Wash- 
ington, Mr.  Mori,  minister  to  London,  and  such 
other  well-known  men  in  Japan  as  Hatakeyama, 
Machida,  and  Matsmura.  On  his  return  from  Europe, 
Sameshima  travelled  extensively  in  the  United  States. 
He  reached  Japan  just  as  the  new  era  was  beginning 
in  that  Empire,  and  became  very  useful  in  public 
affairs  on  account  of  his  foreign  experiences.  His 
first  official  position  was  that  of  Chief  Clerk  of  the 
Foreign  Office  in  Tokio,  and  he  was  next  made 
Secretary  of  the  Municipal  Government,  and  greatly 
interested  himself  in  visiting  and  caring  for  the  poor 
of  the  city.  When  the  ironclad  Stonewall,  which  had 
been  purchased  of  the  United  States,  reached  Yoko- 
hama, there  was  much  difficulty  in  having  her  deliv- 
ered to  the  proper  authorities,  and  when  H.  E. 
Iwakura  called  at  the  American  Legation  to  secure 
the  steamer  for  the   Mikado,   Sameshima  and   Mori 

206 


SAMESHIMA    NAONOBU.  20/ 

were  the  interpreters.  After  she  had  been  duly 
delivered  to  the  Imperialists,  she  was  sent  to 
Hakedota,  and  did  efficient  service  against  the 
forces  of  the  Tycoon  until  the  final  triumph  of  the 
Imperialists. 

After  his  services  as  a  local  officer  he  was  sent 
as  Charg6  d' Affaires  both  to  London  and  Paris ; 
held  for  a  time  the  office  of  Assistant  Secretary 
of  State ;  was  next  made  Resident  Minister  at 
Paris,  and  subsequently  Minister  Plenipotentiary 
at  the  same  place.  His  influence  as  a  man  and  an 
officer  was  extensive,  but  it  was  due  more  to  his 
innate  goodness  of  heart  and  personal  popularity 
than  to  extraordinary  abilities.  His  health  had  been 
poor  for  many  months,  and  he  died  of  consumption, 
leaving  a  wife  and  one  child. 


SAIGO  TSUGUMICHI. 

THE  subject  of  the  present  memoir  is  a  younger 
brother  of  the  late  Saigo  Takamori,  formerly 
marshal  in  the  Japanese  army  and  leader  of  the  Sat- 
suma  Clan,  one  of  the  promoters  of  the  Restoration, 
and  finally  the  head  of  the  Satsuma  Rebellion.  Saigo's 
earlier  life  was  devoted  to  the  study  of  literature  and 
military  science.  During  the  war  of  the  Restoration  he 
acted  a  prominent  part,  and  fought  battles  in  almost 
every  part  of  the  Empire,  from  the  commencement  to 
the  end  of  the  struggle,  always  gaining  splendid  vic- 
tories, and  thus  greatly  distinguishing  himself.  After 
the  conclusion  of  the  war  he  was  appointed  general  in 
the  Imperial  army,  and  nominated  a  junior  noble  of  the 
fourth  rank,  and  commander  of  the  Tokio  garrison. 
Shortly  afterwards,  when  the  invasion  of  Corea  had 
become  a  great  question  for  discussion  in  the  Cabinet, 
his  views  were  opposed  to  those  of  his  elder  brother, 
who  strongly  insisted  upon  war,  an  idea  which  was 
ultimately  abandoned.  The  two  brothers  then  parted, 
the  elder  retiring  from  the  Cabinet,  while  the  younger 
remained  in  the  Government ;  and  it  is  said  that  from 
that  time  there  was  no  real  friendship  between  them. 
In  the  Formosan  expedition  in  1874,  Saigo  Tsugumi- 
chi  was  appointed  commander  in-chief,  and  led  the 
Japanese  fleet  and  army  to  the  island,  where,  after 
fighting  several  battles,  he  successfully  subdued  the 
brave  and  aggressive  savage  tribes.     The  expedition 

208 


SAIGO   TSUGUMICHI. 


209 


was    thus    terminated,  and    a  war  indemnity  of  five 
hundred   thousand   taels  was   paid  to  Japan  by  the 
Chinese  Government.      In   1876  when  the   Philadel- 
phia Exhibition  was  held,  the  General  was  appointed 
Vice  Commissioner  for  the  Japanese  Section.       He 
therefore  went  to  America,  where  he  honorably,  and 
to  the  satisfaction  of  all,  represented  the  interests  of 
liis    country  at  the  great  International   Exposition. 
When  the  Satsuma  revolt  broke  out  in  1877,  he  wished 
to  take  up  arms  against  his  rebel  brother,  but  the 
Government  would  not  allow  him  to  do  so.     However 
he  remained  in  Tokio  in  control  of  the  War  Department, 
during  the  absence  of  the  then  Minister  of  War,  General 
Yamagata,  at  the  seat  of  strife.      Although  Saigo  did 
not  take  part  personally  in  the  campaign,  his  services 
in    supplying  the  Imperial  forces  in  the  field  with 
provisions  and  ammunition  from  Tokio  without  inter- 
ruption, was  worthy  of  praise,  and  greatly  contributed 
to  the  termination  of  the  war  in  September  of  the 
same  year.      The  assassination  of   His   Excellency 
Okubo,  late  Minister  of  Home  Affairs,  perpetrated  in 
May,  1878,  occasioned  some  changes  in  the  Ministry. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  then  nominated  Privy 
Councillor  and  Minister  of  Education,  which  latter 
office  he  left  when  he  was  appointed  Minister  of  War, 
and   Commander  of  the  Imperial   Guard,  in  place  of 
General  Yamagata,  who  was  transferred  to  the  control 
of  the  Staff  Office.     In  consequence  of  the  changes 
effected  in  the  Ministry  at  the  commencement  of  the 
present  year.  General  Saigo  remained  Sangi,  having 
to  devote  all  his  attentions  to  the  duties  of  that  post. 
His  portfolio  for  the  War  Department  was  confided 
to  General  Oyama,  and  the  command  of  the  Imperial 
Guard    was    assumed    by  His    Imperial     Highness, 
General  Prince  Higashi  Fushimi. 


SANJO   SANETOMI. 
/ 

HHIS  distinguished  man,  formerly  known  as 
Fujiwara  no  Saneyoshi,  is  the  second  son  of 
Sanjo  Sanekazu,  the  late  U-daijin,  and  one  of  the 
kuge  or  Court  nobles,  descendants  of  former  occu- 
pants of  the  Imperial  throne.  It  was  therefore  only 
natural  that  Sanjo  Sanetomi  should  desire  the  restora- 
tion of  the  authority  of  the  Emperor;  and  to  that 
end  he  accordingly  devoted  himself  from  his  youth, 
with  all  the  tact  and  ability  for  which  he  is  so  distin- 
guished. In  January,  1863,  matters  being  considered 
ripe  for  the  contemplated  change,  Sanjo  and  An^-n6- 
Koji  Shosho,  were  sent  as  envoys  to  the  Shogun  by 
the  Mikado.  They  informed  the  Bakufu  officials  that 
all  old  abuses  must  be  cleared  away,  the  constitution 
reformed,  and  the  anxiety  of  the  Emperor  respecting 
the  troubles  brooding  over  the  country,  removed. 
The  Shogun  was  also  ordered  to  present  himself 
at  Kioto  during  the  coming  spring,  and,  in  the  mean- 
time, to  make  preparations  for  the  expulsion  of 
foreigners.  This  decided  step  appears  to  have 
aroused  the  Shogunate  supporters  to  their  impending 
danger,  and  they  made  a  supreme  effort  to  recover 
their  lost  influence  at  Court.  On  the  thirtieth  of 
September,  in  the  same  year,  a  coalition  was  formed, 
with  the  object  of  removing  Sanjo  and  his  friends, 
whose  growing  power,  zeal  and  ability,  the  Shogunate 
recognized  and  feared.     The  Emperor  was  induced, 

210 


SANJO    SANETOMI.  211 


under  various  pretexts,  to  order  the  punishment  of 
Sanjo  and  six  others  of  the  Court  nobles,  but,  after 
receiving  timely  warning,  these  withdrew  to  Choshiu 
before  the  storm  burst,  taking  with  them  the  present 
Emperor.  Here  the  fugitives  remained  in  safety 
until  1865,  when  they  were  forced  to  take  refuge 
in  Chikuzen.  In  1866,  however,  the  clouds  of 
adversity  passed  over  with  the  death  of  the  late 
Emperor  and  the  ascension  of  the  present  occupant 
of  the  Imperial  throne.  Recognizing  the  folly  of 
further  resistance  to  what  was  inevitable  sooner  or 
later,  Tokugawa  Keike,  the  reigning  Shogun,  restored 
the  administrative  authority  to  his  Imperial  master, 
and  thus  came  to  an  end  the  Bakufu  Government, 
which  had  ruled  Japan  with  a  rod  of  iron  for  nearly 
three  centuries.  With  all  the  faults  of  the  Shoguns, 
the  Tokugawa  have  one  proud  boast :  "  We  preserved 
Japan  from  internecine  warfare  for  two  hundred  and 
fifty-three  years." 

After  the  retirement  of  Keiki,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  appointed  Vice-Administrator  and  a 
member  of  the  Senate.  During  the  wars  of  the 
Restoration,  Sanjo  was  constantly  in  attendance  upon 
the  young  Emperor,  and  administering  the  affairs  of 
state  in  those  trying  times  when  error  meant  disaster, 
and  disaster  ruin  irremediable.  Peace  being  at  length 
restored,  Sanjo  was  chosen  to  superintend  the  affairs 
of  the  eastern  portion  of  the  country,  and  also  received 
the  appointment  of  commander-in-chief  of  the  "left 
hand  "  division  of  the  Imperial  guard. 

In  1868  the  attitude  of  the  adherents  of  the  Bakufu 
Government  excited  the  apprehensions  of  the  Imperial 
authorities,  and  Sanjo  was  entrusted  with  the  arduous 
task  of  inducing  the  malcontents  to  submit  to  the 
new  order  of  things.     This  delicate  mission  was  sue- 


212  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

cessfully  accomplished;  and  His  Excellency  was  then 
appointed  U-daijin,  as  a  recognition  of  his  services. 
Subsequently  he  received  the  office  of  Sa-daijin,  and 
in  1870  that  of  Daijo  Daijin,  or  Prime  Minister,  which 
he  still  holds.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  the  early 
prejudices  of  His  Excellency  respecting  foreigners, 
have  long  since  been  entirely  removed  by  intercourse 
with  the  Western  strangers.  No  member  of  the  Gov- 
ernment is  more  keenly  alive  to  the  vast  benefits 
derived  by  Japan  from  entering  the  comity  of  nations, 
and  following  in  the  paths  of  civilization  and  progress, 
than  His  Excellency  Sanjo  Sanetomi. 

By  way  of  giving  the  foreign  reader  an  idea  of 
Sanjo  when  communicating  his  ideas  to  the  public,  we 
submit  the  following  translation  from  a  letter  which 
he  wrote  to  the  assembly  of  nobles,  in  July,  1875  : 

Last  year  you  bound  yourselves  by  a  common  vow  to  establish  your 
Assembly,  to  take  deeply  to  heart  the  kindness  of  the  Imperial 
instructions  to  you,  and  to  discharge  to  the  utmost  of  your  ability 
your  duties  as  nobles.  This  was  truly  a  matter  for  congratulation,  and 
if  the  nobles  had  striven  zealously  to  realize  the  practical  results  of  such 
a  resolution,   it  would  have  been  indeed  fortunate  for  our  country. 

Since  that  date,  however,  the  meetings  have  been  but  scantily 
attended,  and  I  have  not  learnt  that  any  definite  plan  has  been 
formed  for  accomplishing  these  results.  Some,  while  agreeing  with 
the  objects  of  the  Assembly,  have  gone  elsewhere,  others  who  agree 
equally  with  them,  stand  by  almost  like  mere  spectators.  It  does  not 
seem  as  if  any  notice  were  taken  by  them  as  to  whether  the  Assembly 
was  in  a  state  of  prosperity  or  decay,  or  whether  it  was  being  estab- 
lished or  abandoned.  If  such  indolence  and  negligence  continues, 
what  is,  after  all,  the  good  of  your  Assembly }  Saneyoshi's  former 
rejoicing  is  turned  into  sorrow.  He  is  prevented  by  the  pressure  of 
his  important  duties  from  attending  the  Assembly  frequently  himself, 
but  he  cannot  forget  it  by  day  or  by  night.  He  hopes  that  the 
members  will  commit  to  writing,  and  communicate  to  him,  their  plans 
for  discharging  the  functions  of  the  Assembly,  together  with  their 
views  as  to  the  means  of  increasing  its  activity  for  the  future.  He 
will  aid  you  in  your  endeavors.  Do  ye  all  give  due  consideration  to 
these  words.  (Signed)  Saneyoshi. 

To  THE  Assembly  of  Nokles. 


SANO  TSUNETAMI. 

HE  was  a  retainer  of.  the  Saga  han  and  born  in 
1823  ;  and  after  the  usual  education  of  his 
class,  he  went  to  Nagasaki,  where  he  acquired  a  knowl- 
edge of  medicine.  His  abilities  having  been  brought 
to  the  knowledge  of  one  of  the  local  princes,  he  was 
for  a  time  employed  in  an  important  position  under 
the  Saga  han.  About  the  year  1862  he  was  sent  to 
Holland  by  the  General  Government,  where  he  super- 
intended the  building  of  a  man-of-war,  and  on  his 
return  was  employed  by  the  authorities  of  the  Navy. 
After  the  Restoration,  he  was  invited  to  Yedo,  and 
placed  in  charge  of  the  Lighthouse  Department,  and 
did  much  to  advance  the  usefulness  of  that  branch  of 
the  public  service.  In  1873  he  was  sent  to  Austria 
in  the  capacity  of  charg^  cC affaires  and  was  also  Vice 
President  of  the  Japanese  Commission  to  the  Vienna 
Exposition,  remaining  in  that  city  about  two  years. 
During  his  previous  visit  to  Europe,  he  took  occasion 
to  visit  the  Paris  Exposition,  and  his  experiences  in 
that  city  were  of  great  service  in  Vienna. 

The  very  gratifying  impressions  which  were  made 
upon  the  whole  world  by  the  Japanese  exhibits  sent 
to  the  Austrian  Capital,  were  owing  in  a  great  degree 
to  the  sagacity  of  the  chief  official  in  charge. 

After  his  return  from  Austria,  he  was  made  a 
member  of  the  Japanese  Senate,  and  in  1 880  he  was 
again  promoted  and  made  the  chief  minister  of  the 
Treasury  Department. 

213 


214  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

While  a  love  of  art  is  quite  common  among  all  the 
educated  classes  in  Japan,  with  Mr.  Sano  Tsunetami 
it  is  allied  to  a  passion,  and  his  influence  has  been 
great  in  making  his  countrymen  acquainted  with 
beautiful  and  antique  productions  from  foreign  lands  ; 
and  through  his  personal  efforts,  there  has  been 
established  a  society  called  Riiichi  Kawai,  or  Society 
of  the  Fine  Arts.  He  is  also  the  author  and  promoter 
of  a  Humane  Society,  of  which  he  is  President,  and 
which  has  accomplished  much  good.  From  Austria 
as  well  as  his  own  country,  he  has  been  the  recipient 
of  various  honors. 


SATO    SHUNKAI. 

HIS  native  place  was  in  the  town  of  Sakura, 
province  of  Shimo-o-sa,  and  in  early  life  was 
known  by  the  name  of  Yaniaguchi.  After  acquiring 
a  complete  knowledge  of  Chinese,  he  turned  his 
attention  to  the  Dutch  language,  and,  after  going 
through  a  course  of  studies  at  Nagasaki,  in  the 
science  of  medicine,  took  high  rank  as  a  physician 
and  surgeon. 

In  1 86 1,  and  on  several  other  occasions,  he  was 
invited  to  take  part  in  Bakufu  Government,  but 
declined  all  such  offers.  His  mind  having  become 
deeply  imbued  with  a  desire  to  elevate  the  healing 
art  in  Japan,  he  devoted  his  whole  attention  to  that 
object,  and  one  of  his  first  exploits  was  to  build 
and  endow  a  private  hospital  for  the  use  of  his 
countrymen ;  and  with  this  he  connected  a  medical 
school  for  beginners.  In  1868  he  visited  Prussia,  and 
added  to  his  stock  of  information,  his  talents  having 
been  highly  appreciated  in  Europe. 

In  1869  he  was  invited  by  the  Educational  Depart- 
ment of  the  Empire  to  take  charge  of  the  medical 
branch  of  the  Tokio  University,  and  received  the 
highest  title  attached  to  his  profession.  In  1874  he 
resigned  that  position,  and  devoted  all  his  influence 
to  the  establishment  of  a  large  hospital  in  Tokio, 
and  was  made  Inspector  General  of  the  army.  His 
practise  as  a  physician  is  extensive,  and  in  influence 
is  without  a  superior  in  Japan. 

215 


SHIBUSAWA  EICHI. 

HE  was  born  in  the  province  of  Zo-Shu,  in  1840, 
and  was  the  son  of  a  farmer.  When  Tokugawa 
Akitake  went  to  France  for  study  in  1867,  Mr. 
Shibusawa  was  his  companion  ;  and  on  his  return  to 
Japan,  he  was  appointed  to  a  subordinate  position  in 
the  Treasury,  but  was  soon  promoted  to  the  head  of 
the  Department  as  its  Secretary.  He  was  also  called 
upon  to  manage  the  affairs  of  the  printing  bureau  of 
the  Government,  and  soon  promoted  for  his  services 
in  that  direction.  In  1873,  in  conjunction  with  his 
friend  Mr.  Enouye  Kaoru,  he  presented  a  memorial  to 
the  Government  on  the  condition  of  public  affairs, 
which  document  was  signed  by  both  of  the  gentlemen, 
and  will  be  found  embodied  in  the  notice  of  Mr.  Enouye 
in  this  volume.  The  views  they  held  met  with  some 
opposition  in  the  Cabinet,  which  induced  them  both 
to  resign  their  positions  under  the  Government. 

During  his  residence  in  France,  he  had  devoted 
special  attention  to  the  study  of  finance,  and  after 
his  return  to  Japan,  he  exerted  himself  to  establish  a 
banking  institution,  of  which  he  became  President  — 
the  First  National  Bank — and  which  proved  to  be  very 
successful.  When,  on  a  certain  occasion,  the  financial 
affairs  of  the  city  of  Tokio  had  become  involved,  he 
was  called  upon  to  look  after  them,  and  was  successful 
in  rendering  the  public  an  important  service. 

Still  anxious  to  do  all  the  good  for  his  country,  he 
216 


SHIBUSAWA   EICHI.  21/ 

conceived  the  idea  and  carried  it  out,  of  establishing 
an  extensive  paper  factory  after  the  American  plan. 

As  one  of  the  results  of  his  ability,  he  was  made 
Chairman  of  the  Tokio  Chamber  of  Commerce,  which 
he  now  holds,  and  is  of  course  a  very  high  authority 
on  all  matters  connected  with  finance  and  commerce. 
He  is  said  to  have  acquired  considerable  wealth,  and 
it  is  known  to  everybody  in  Japan  that  his  charities 
are  in  keeping  with  his  wealth.  During  the  Chinese 
famine  in  1878,  he  was  one  of  the  first  to  send  relief 
to  the  sufferers.  When  General  Grant  was  in  Japan, 
he  was  chairman  of  the  committee  delegated  to  pay 
the  honors  to  the  distinguished  American. 

By  way  of  illustrating  Mr.  Shibusawa's  style  of 
thinking  and  writing,  we  append  to  our  brief  notice 
the  substance  of  a  speech  that  he  delivered  in  Yoko- 
hama in  1877,  from  which  it  will  be  seen  that  his  views 
are  not  merely  speculative,  but  eminently  practical ; 
the  speech  was  as  follows  :  — 

"  Bankers  should  pay  attention  to  the  increasing 
of  their  production  of  the  country. 

"  Bankers  are  the  intermediaries  between  borrowers 
and  lenders,  and  thereby  aid  the  circulation  of  money. 
In  a  few  words,  the  duty  of  banks  is  to  receive  deposits, 
lend  the  money  received  to  those  who  may  require  it, 
issue  bills  of  exchange,  and  buy  and  sell  Government 
bonds  and  bullion.  If  proper  care  be  devoted  to  the 
conducting  of  business,  there  is  no  reason  why  certain 
profits  should  not  be  obtainable.  Those  bankers  who 
are  desirous  of  doing  only  a  safe  business,  should 
confine  themselves  solely  to  such  transactions  as  the 
above,  not  seeking  to  do  any  other.  Such  at  least  are 
the  views  of  steady-going  men  of  moderate  wishes. 
I  shall  say  nothing  against  them.  But  for  my  own 
part  in  reflecting  on  the  past   and   looking  forward 


2l8  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

to  the  future,  I  have  discovered  a  fact  in  connection 
with  foreign  trade  which  may  end  in  great  evil,  and 
indeed  affects  our  whole  commercial  prosperity.  This 
is  nothing  else  than  that  there  is  no  proportion  between 
the  import  and  export  trade  of  this  country. 

"I  wish  you  would  carefully  look  at  the  Custom 
House  returns.  In  reviewing  these  reports  from  the 
first  to  the  tenth  year  of  Meiji,  the  imports  balanced 
the  exports  only  in  the  first  and  ninth  years.  In 
every  other  year  the  imports  have  been  greatly  in 
excess  of  exports,  sometimes  being  twice  as  great. 
Now  this  is  equivalent  to  so  much  money  being  sent 
out  of  the  country,  which  is  indeed  a  deplorable 
state  of  affairs,  and  calculated  to  cause  grave  anxiety. 
Now  if  we  bankers  who  play  so  important  a  part  in 
the  financial  condition  of  the  country,  leave  such 
questions  unconsidered,  our  business  would  soon 
cease,  neither  could  we  keep  our  establishments 
going,  for  the  banks  derive  their  profits  not  so  much 
from  the  wealth  that  depositors  entrust  to  their 
keeping,  as  to  their  commercial  constituents.  Now 
should  the  productions  of  the  country  gradually 
decrease,  and  trade  languish,  merchants  would  find 
themselves  unable  to  carry  on  their  business,  because 
their  losses  would  be  greater  than  their  profits,  and 
before  many  years  had  passed,  the  resources  of 
Japan  would  become  exhausted.  In  such  times  even 
the  wealthiest  men  are  ruined.  Now,  under  such 
circumstances,  with  whom  would  bankers  be  able  to 
do  any  business  ?  There  would  be  nobody  left,  and 
that  is  therefore  why  I  say  that  we  must  begin  to  look 
out  for  the  future. 

**  As  long  as  this  present  order  of  things  remains, 
however,  in  accordance  with  the  banking  laws,  banks 
may  not   concern   themselves   with   the   opening   of 


SHIBUSAWA    EICHI.  219 


mines,  or  developing  the  resources  of  the  country  in 
such  wise.  The  Government  does  not  overlook  the 
fact  that  a  development  of  its  resources  is  the  roof 
of  the  country's  prosperity,  but  assists  in  such  enter- 
prises to  a  certain  extent.  But  as  the  banks  have  so 
large  an  interest  in  the  productions  of  the  country, 
they  must  do  all  in  their  power  to  aid  the  develop- 
ment. 

"  The  question  then  arises,  what  is  to  be  done  ? 
The  system  of  lending  on  personal  security  must  be 
established. 

"  Japanese  merchants  —  or  at  least  a  great  many  of 
them — up  to  the  time  of  the  Restoration,  traded 
under  license,  and  were  granted  monopolies  of  their 
several  businesses,  thus  possessing  special  privileges. 
These  rights  have,  since  the  Restoration,  been  done 
away  with,  and  any  one  is  now  at  liberty  to  undertake 
any  branch  of  trade  he  may  select.  Owing  to  the 
abolition  of  monopolies,  not  a  few  of  the  solid  houses 
of  former  days  became  bankrupt.  Others  again 
formed  companies  with  officials  who  resigned  their 
appointments  and  embarked  their  capital  in  trade. 
But  most  of  their  transactions  were  only  reckless 
speculations,  and  without  due  regard  to  their  opera- 
tions, or  knowing  where  to  stop,  thinking  they  could 
make  a  fortune  in  an  instant,  advanced  their  capital 
to  dishonest  men.  Others  who  were  entirely  con 
servative,  clung  to  the  idea  that  they  must  act  in 
such  and  such  a  manner  only  because  their  ancestors 
had  done  so.  Thus  if  they  fortunately  —  or  unfor- 
tunately—  possessed  any  money,  they  would  let  it 
lie  in  their  vaults,  so  that  it  did  no  more  good  to 
them  or  to  the  public  than  if  it  had  been  so  much 
mud.  When  such  is  the  condition  of  the  trading 
community,  it   is   no   wonder  that  failure  has  been 


220  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

the  almost  invariable  result.  New  establishments 
sprang  up  only  to  decay  like  weeds,  and  merchants 
lost  all  confidence.  Money  could  be  borrowed  with- 
out security,  and  therefore  production  could  not  be 
stimulated.  That  is  why  we  have  made  no  headway 
in  this  respect. 

"Recently  times  have  changed  somewhat  in  this 
respect,  and  some  establishments  carrying  on  business 
on  true  trade  principles  have  commenced  to  exist. 
But  the  great  drawback  is  lack  of  capital,  and  it  is  to 
be  greatly  deplored  that  the  country  generally  is  so 
poor  that  they  cannot  effect  their  desired  objects. 

"  The  regulations  with  regard  to  banks  are  so 
severe,  and  the  Government  is  so  strict  in  enforcing 
them,  that  they  have  carried  on  their  business  in  a 
quiet  way,  incurring  no  losses.  But  if  banks  com- 
mence to  be  led  away  with  the  idea  that  regardless  of 
the  character  of  their  promoters,  they  can  carry  out 
any  schemes  that  may  be  presented  to  them  for  the 
development  of  the  production  of  the  country,  they 
must  not  expect  to  last  long,  for  they  cannot. 

"  Some  system  ought  to  be  introduced  whereby 
money  might  be  lent  at  a  low  rate  of  interest,  not 
looking  so  much  to  the  security  offered,  as  the 
character  of  the  borrower.  If  his  business  be  a  sure 
one,  he  should  thus  be  assisted,  and  entering  upon 
any  thing  that  does  not  look  safe,  should  be  protested 
against.  Thus  may  we  aid  in  extending  the  produc- 
tions of  our  country,  and  if  we  succeed  in  doing  this 
we  have  all  done  our  duty.  I  am  anxious  to  hear 
what  you  think  of  my  ideas." 


SHIMADZU  HISAMITSU. 

HE  was  born  in  Satsuma,  and  was  the  second  son 
of  the  Prince  of  that  province.  After  receiving 
a  good  education,  he  began  to  take  an  interest  in 
public  affairs,  and  was  among  the  first  to  advocate 
the  restoration  of  the  Emperor  to  his  legitimate  power. 
In  1862  he  went  to  Kioto,  where  he  did  much  to 
preserve  the  public  peace  in  connection  with  the  inva- 
sion of  foreigners,  and  for  his  services  at  that  time, 
the  Imperial  Court  gave  him  the  name  of  Sabro,  by 
which  he  was  afterwards  known.  From  Kioto  he 
went  to  Yedo  as  an  assistant  envoy  from  the  Emperor 
to  the  Tycoon,  the  object  of  his  mission  being  to  have 
the  foreigners  expelled  and  the  peace  of  the  Empire 
preserved ;  and  it  was  while  returning  to  Kioto  with 
his  retinue,  that  the  Englishman  Richardson  rudely 
interfered  with  the  passing  of  his  retinue,  and  for 
which  conduct  he  was  immediately  killed  by  some  of 
the  retainers  of  Shimadzu.  Following  this  event 
the  British  Government  forthwith  made  a  demand 
upon  the  Bakufu  Government  to  deliver  Shimadzu  to 
them  for  punishment,  and  to  pay  a  large  indemnity ; 
whereupon  the  Satsuma  envoy  sent  a  letter  to  the 
Bakufu  Government,  in  which  he  said  that  the 
Englishman  had  offered  an  insult  to  him  and  his 
followers,  and  it  was  for  that  conduct  he  had  been 
killed.  He  also  said  that  if  the  English  Government 
wanted  any  satisfaction  from  him,  he  was  ready  for 

221 


222  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

battle.  In  process  of  time,  however,  the  Bakufu 
Government  paid  an  indemnity  of  four  hundred  and 
fifty  thousand  dollars,  and  so,  as  it  was  supposed, 
settled  the  difficulty.  But  the  British  Government, 
true  to  its  tyrannical  instincts  when  dealing  with 
feeble  powers,  in  the  Orient  as  well  as  elsewhere,  sent 
seven  men  of  war  to  Kagoshima,  where  Shimadzu  was 
fortified  with  a  limited  force  of  troops,  and  after  making 
another  demand  for  money,  proceeded  to  hostilities ; 
several  severe  battles  were  fought,  and  the  English 
were  whipped;  but  in  the  end  the  civilized  Englishman 
obtained  the  additional  gold  thus  wanted,  and  peace 
was  secured. 

When  the  Bakufu  Government  made  its  demonstra- 
tion against  Choshiu,.  Shimadzu  was  one  of  those  who 
opposed  hostilities ;  and  for  this,  he  and  his  second 
son  and  Prince  of  Satsuma,  were  rewarded  with  one 
hundred  thousand  kokus  of  rice.  After  this  he  retired 
to  private  life  at  Kagoshima,  and  though  frequently 
importuned  by  the  Imperial  Court  to  go  and  help  the 
Government  in  Yedo,  he  declined  to  do  so. 

In  1872  he  submitted  to  the  Emperor  an  elaborate 
document  on  the  policy  which  should  be  pursued  in 
the  affairs  of  Government,  whereupon  a  special  mes- 
senger was  sent  to  bring  him  back  to  Yedo,  when  he 
was  appointed  a  counsellor  to  the  Emperor,  as  well  as 
a  Sadai-jin.  In  1875  he  made  a  demonstration  against 
one  of  the  members  of  the  Cabinet,  and  because  the 
Emperor  would  not  take  his  advice  and  remove  the 
offending  minister,  he  resigned  his  connection  with  the 
Emperor  and  retired  to  his  native  town  in  Satsuma. 

When  not  engaged  in  serving  his  country  as  an 
official,  he  took  a  special  interest  in  promoting  the  edu- 
cation of  the  common  people  in  his  province,  spending 
much  of  his  money  as  well  as  time  for  their  benefit. 


SOYESHIMA   TANEOMI. 

HE  was  born  in  Saga,  province  of  Hizen,  and 
early  acquired  the  best  education  afforded  by 
the  local  schools.  Having  early  turned  his  attention 
to  the  study  of  law,  in  1868  he  was  made  a  com- 
missioner for  framing  certain  laws,  and  after  perform- 
ing that  task  most  satisfactorily,  he  was  promoted  to 
be  a  Councillor  of  State.  In  1871  he  was  sent  on 
a  mission  to  Russian  Siberia,  to  settle  certain  boundary 
difficulties  connected  with  the  Island  of  Saghalien, 
and  was  successful.  His  next  position  was  that  of 
Minister  for  Foreign  Affairs,  and  one  of  his  exploits 
in  that  capacity  was  to  cause  the  release  and  the 
return  home  of  certain  Chinese  coolies,  who  were 
found  on  a  Peruvian  vessel,  in  the  port  of  Yokohama. 
In  1873  he  was  sent  as  an  Envoy  Extraordinary  to  • 
China,  and  was  the  first  official  of  that  character  ever 
received  in  person  by  the  Emperor ;  the  chief  reason 
for  success  having  been  the  earnest  arguments  of  the 
Japanese  envoy.  It  is  said  that  while  in  Peking  one  / 
of  the  ministers  said  to  him  :  J 

"  Why  do  you  wear  the  European  dress,  when  you 
are  a  representative  of  Japan  ?  "  to  which  he  replied  : 
"  I  have  not  time  to  discuss  such  trifling  matters  as 
this." 

On  his  return  to  Japan  he  was  again  made  a 
Councillor  of  State,  or  Sanji ;  but  having  adopted  the 
policy  of  General   Saigo,  to  make  war  upon  Corea,  , 

223 


224  LEADING   MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

and  the  majority  of  the  Cabmet  being  against  them, 
he,  with  Saigo,  resigned,  and  retired  to  private  life. 
But  his  influence  continued  to  be  felt  throughout  the 
Empire,  and  he  it  was  who,  with  Itagaki  and  Goto, 
petitioned  the  Government  to  establish  a  national 
assembly;  and  although  they  were  not  successful 
at  the  time,  the  prospects  are  that  their  hopes  will 
yet  be  fully  realized.  After  the  Emperor  had  issued 
his  decree  to  establish  a  constitution,  it  is  said 
Mr.  Soyeshima  was  invited  to  enter  the  Cabinet  again, 
but  he  declined  the  honor. 

His  public  mission  to  China  having  been  success- 
ful, he  visited  that  country  in  1876  in  his  private 
capacity,  where  he  made  many  personal  friends,  and 
astonished  them  by  his  remarkable  knowledge  of 
the  Chinese  language,  and  by  the  unpretending  char- 
acter of  his  deportment. 

In  1879  he  was  invited  to  become  a  member  of  the 
Imperial  household,  and  has  latterly  been  devoting 
his  time  to  study  and  the  assistance  of  the  Emperor 
in  his  private  library,  deserving  and  receiving  the 
highest  praise  for  his  services  from  people  of  all 
parties. 


TANAKA  FUJIMARO. 

HE  was  bom  in  the  province  of  Owari,  Japan,  in 
1843;  received  a  superior  education  in  the 
Japanese  and  Chinese  classics,  and  was  at  one  time 
the  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Imperial  Counsellors. 
When  the  Iwakura  Embassy  went  abroad  in  1871,  he 
was  attached  to  it  as  a  commissioner,  and  after  making 
many  careful  observations  in  the  United  States,  con- 
nected with  educational  affairs,  he  went  to  Europe 
to  continue  his  observations.  On  his  return  to  Japan, 
he  manifested  increased  zeal  in  the  cause  of  education, 
and  was  subsequently  appointed  Vice  Minister  of  the 
Department  of  Education. 

When  the  International  Exposition  took  place  at 
Philadelphia,  in  1876,  Mr,  Tanaka  was  of  course  placed 
in  charge  of  the  Educational  Department  on  behalf  of 
Japan,  and  the  admirable  display  of  his  Government 
was  greatly  assisted  by  his  management  of  its  affairs. 

He  also  rendered  the  public  an  important  service 
at  that  time,  by  compiling  and  publishing  An  Outline 
History  of  Japatiese  Education  which  had  a  wide 
circulation  in  the  United  States,  and  is  a  work  of  very 
great  interest  to  men  of  culture  everywhere. 

The  annual  reports  which  have  been  submitted  by 
Mr.  Tanaka  to  the  Emperor,  on  educational  affairs, 
since  1875,  have  all  been  distinguished  for  their  judi- 
cious opinions  and  recommendations,  and  have  been 
of  very  great  value  in  helping  on  the  enlightenment  of 

225 


226  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

his  countrymen,  and  they  have  been  published  both  in 
the  Japanese  and  English  languages.  In  1881  he 
relinquished  his  position  in  connection  with  educa- 
tional affairs  and  became  identified  with  the  Sangin, 
or  new  Parliament,  as  its  Vice  President. 


TANI    KANJO. 

HE  was  born  in  the  province  of  Tosa,  and  has  since 
his  youth  been  remarkable  for  his  brave,  calm, 
and  thoughtful  disposition.  His  father  was  renowned 
for  an  extensive  knowledge  of  literature,  and  being  nat- 
urally anxious  that  the  subject  of  this  sketch  should 
enjoy  the  advantages  derivable  from  culture,-  he  sent 
him  to  Yedo  when  a  boy,  to  study  under  the  cele- 
brated Yasui,  who  was  famous  for  his  knowledge 
of  Chinese,  and  had  written  many  works  in  that 
language,  which  attracted  much  attention. 

Yasui,  perceiving  the  generous  impulses  and  noble 
aspirations  of  Tani,  bestowed  great  pains  upon  fitting 
him  for  his  career  in  life ;  in  fact,  he  became  the 
old  man's  favorite  pupil.  An  affection  altogether 
dissimilar  to  the  relationship  usually  existing  between 
master  and  pupil,  and  not  unlike  the  love  David  bore 
for  Jonathan  was  the  result,  and  continued  not  only 
without  abatement,  but  increasing  in  strength  until 
the  death  of  Yosui  plunged  Tani  into  the  deepest 
grief. 

An  active  life  was  considered  the  best  remedy  for 
the  state  of  despondency  into  which  Tani  had  now 
fallen,  and  his  feudal  superior,  the  Prince  of  Tosa, 
accordingly  appointed  him  a  Censor  and  ordered  him 
to  visit  and  report  upon  different  localities  in  his 
domains.  This  duty  Tani  executed  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  to  give  great  satisfaction,  and  thus  led  to 
more  important  employment. 

227 


228  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  war  of  the  Restora- 
tion, Tani  was  placed  in  command  of  a  detachment 
of  the  Tosa  army,  and  marched  on  Osaka,  accom- 
panied by  Itagaki  Taisuke  (an  ex-member  of  the 
Privy  Council),  and  other  prominent  persons.  After 
the  occupation  of  Osaka  he  was  appointed  Inspector 
General,  and  entrusted  with  the  command  of  the 
advanced  divisions  of  the  army.  In  March,  1868, 
he  captured  the  castle  of  Kofa,  and  fought  the  battle 
of  Katsunuma,  in  which  the  rebel  forces,  led  by  the 
brave  Kondo  Isami,  were  signally  defeated.  Tani 
followed  up  this  victory  by  a  rapid  advance,  and 
engaged  the  enemy  at  Shirakawa,  Miharu,  and  Yas- 
uzuka,  in  all  of  which  combats  he  routed  the  adver- 
saries opposed  to  him.  Flushed  with  success  the 
victorious  army  pushed  on  to  Aidzu  and  routed  their 
opponents  on  several  occasions,  and  at  last  crowned 
their  triumphs  by  the  capture  of  the  great  fortress 
of  Wakamatsu,  the  stronghold  of  Aidzu.  The  cam- 
paign being  thus  happily  terminated,  Tani  led  his 
forces  back  to  his  native  province,  and  in  recogni- 
tion of  his  services  was  appointed  a  lieutenant-gen- 
eral in  the  army  Imperial,  and  entrusted  with  the 
command  of  the  castle  of  Kumamoto. 

When  the  expedition  was  despatched  to  Formosa 
Tani  was  made  an  inspector-general  and  sent  to 
assist  the  Commander-in-chief,  General  Saigo  (the 
younger  brother  of  the  rebel  leader),  and,  after  the 
objects  of  the  expedition  were  achieved,  he  returned 
and  was  unemployed  for  some  time. 

In  1876  the  Jimpu  party  rose  in  rebellion  in  Kuma- 
moto, and  Tani  was  re-appointed  to  the  command  of 
the  garrison  upon  the  death  of  General  Taneda. 

In  1877  the  great  revolt  of  the  Satsuma  Qan 
occurred,  and  the  stronghold  of  Kumamoto  was  for 


TANI    KANJO.  229 


weeks  the  point  to  which  the  fears  and  hopes 
of  the  contending  parties  in  the  mighty  struggle 
were  turned.  Never,  during  the  brightest  days  of 
chivalry  in  Japan,  were  braver  feats  of  arms  per- 
formed than  at  the  siege  of  Kumamoto  ;  the  pos- 
session of  that  fortress  being  looked  upon  as  of  vital 
importance  to  both  belligerents.  Again  and  again 
the  flower  of  the  Southern  forces,  fighting  under 
the  eye  of  their  beloved  Saigo,  rushed  to  the  assault 
and  as  often  recoiled,  shattered  and  decimated  by 
the  stubborn  valor  of  the  defenders  encouraged  by 
the  dauntless  Tani,  who  exposed  his  life  with  the 
most  reckless  bravery.  At  last  the  siege  was  raised 
by  the  main  body  of  the  Imperialists  ;  and  shortly 
afterwards  the  formidable  rebellion  was  crushed,  and 
peace  restored  to  the  distracted  country. 

Tani  was  rewarded  for  his  extraordinary  achieve- 
ments with  the  Order  of  the  Rising  Sun  of  the 
second  class,  and  promotion  to  the  rank  of  general 
in  the  army. 


TERASHIMA  MUNENORL 

HE  was  bom  in  the  pro\dnce  of  Satsuma,  in  the 
year  1830,  and  was  well  educated  in  the 
pro\nncial  schools  until  his  thirteenth  year,  when, 
because  of  his  superior  abilities,  he  was  sent  to 
Tokio,  and  went  through  a  medical  course  of  studies 
under  a  prominent  physician  in  that  city.  He  next 
turned  his  attention  to  the  study  of  the  Dutch  and 
English  languages,  and  acquired  uncommon  proficiency 
in  both ;  so  that  when  the  Perry  expedition  reached 
Japan,  he  occupied  a  high  position  as  a  scholar,  which 
he  immediately  applied  to  practical  purposes.  When 
the  embassy  of  i86Cwas  about  to  leave  for  America, 
he  was  invited  to  become  a  member,  and  made  himself 
very  useful  as  an  interpreter ;  in  1865  he  was  sent  by 
the  Prince  of  Satsuma  to  England,  as  a  commissioner 
in  charge  of  several  students,  and  remained  in  that 
country  about  two  years ;  at  the  time  of  the  Restora- 
tion in  1868,  he  took  an  active  part  in  public  affairs, 
and  was  made  a  councillor  in  the  new  Government ; 
in  1869  he  was  appointed  Governor  of  Kanagawa,  and 
at  the  same  time  acted  as  Assistant  Secretar)'  of  the 
Foreign  office,  and  exerted  great  influence  as  a  diplo- 
mat ;  in  1 87 1  he  relinquished  the  position  of  Governor, 
and  became  the  Senior  Vice  Minister  of  Foreign 
Affairs;  in  1872  he  was  sent  as  Envoy  Extraordinary 
and  Minister  Plenipotentiar)'  to  Great  Britain,  but  his 
health  prevented  him  from  continuing  in  that  position 

230 


TERASHIMA    MUNENORI.  23 1 

for  more  than  one  year,  when  he  resigned.  On  his 
return  to  Japan,  in  1873,  he  was  appointed  a  Privy 
Councillor,  or  Sangi ;  and  was  then  made  the  Minister 
for  Foreign  Affairs,  the  duties  of  which  he  performed 
with  ability  and  dignity  until  the  appointment  of  his 
successor,  Mr.  Enouye ;  and  of  late  years  his  very 
extensive  experience  in  national  affairs  has  made  him 
a  useful  member  of  the  Government  as  President  of 
the  Genro-in,  or  new  Senate. 

Recent  advices  from  Japan  announce  the  fact  that 
Mr.  Terashima  has  been  appointed  Minister  Plenipo- 
tentiary to  the  United  States,  to  succeed  Mr.  Yoshida 
Kiyonari,  transferred  to  the  Foreign  Office.  There 
are  few  men  in  Japan  who  have  seen  as  much  of  the 
world  and  had  so  much  experience  in  public  affairs  as 
Mr.  Terashima,  and  as  he  is  understood  to  have  a 
most  interesting  family,  their  presence  in  Wash- 
ington will  be  warmly  welcomed. 


TOYAMA  MASAKAZU. 

THIS  well-known  and  successful  Japanese  scholar 
was  born  in  the  province  of  Satsuma,  and 
belongs  to  a  samurai  family ;  and  the  present  writer 
greatly  regrets  that  it  is  out  of  his  power  to  speak  of 
him  excepting  in  the  most  general  terms.  He  was 
the  Secretary  of  the  first  Japanese  Legation  accredited 
to  Washington,  and  while  making  himself  eminently 
useful  to  Mr.  Arinori  Mori,  the  Charg^  d'ajfaireSy  he 
devoted  the  most  of  his  time  to  study,  with  which 
he  became  infatuated.  When  the  famous  Japanese 
Embassy  arrived  in  Washington  he  resigned  his  posi- 
tion as  Secretary,  although  strongly  urged  not  to  do 
so,  and  resolved  to  enter  an  American  college.  A 
movement  was  then  made  to  have  him  educated  as  a 
Government  student,  but  he  preferred  to  accomplish 
what  was  possible  at  his  own  expense.  He  then 
entered  the  University  of  Michigan,  where,  at  the  end 
of  a  regular  course,  he  graduated  with  all  the  honors, 
and  returned  to  Japan.  During  his  sojourn  in  Wash- 
ington, as  well  as  at  the  University,  he  wrote  many 
essays  on  various  important  questions  then  occupying 
the  public  mind,  in  which  he  displayed  a  knowledge 
of  men  and  affairs,  and  a  grasp  of  intellect  which 
attracted  very  marked  attention.  When  some  of  them 
were  re-published  in  the  volume  entitled  The  Jap- 
anese in  America,  they  were  complimented  in  the 
highest   terms   by  many  of   the   leading   reviews  of 

232 


TOYAMA    MASAKAZU.  233 

England  and  the  United  States  ;  while  some  of  them 
could  hardly  believe  that  such  able  writing  on  the 
affairs  of  the  Western  nations,  could  have  emanated 
from  an  Oriental  scholar. 

Very  soon  after  Mr.  Toy  am  a' s  return  to  Japan,  he 
was  appointed  to  a  professorship  in  the  University  of 
Tokio,  where  he  has  continued  to  labor  with  unre- 
mitting faithfulness  to  the  duties  of  his  responsible 
position.  The  departments  of  learning  to  which  he 
has  been  chiefly  devoted,  have  been  those  of  Philos- 
ophy and  English  Literature. 


TSUDA  SEN. 

HE  was  born  at  Sakura  of  Shimo-o-sa,  in  1837,  but 
while  yet  a  mere  youth  he  removed  to  Yedo, 
where  he  acquired  a  knowledge  of  the  Dutch  language, 
and  was  connected  with  the  Tokugawa  Government. 
In  1867,  with  his  friend  Fukuzawa,  he  visited  the 
United  States  on  a  special  mission  for  the  Tycoon, 
but  did  not  remain  any  great  length  of  time.  In  1873 
he  went  to  the  Vienna  Exposition  as  one  of  the  com- 
missioners from  Japan  ;  and  while  there  he  was  made 
one  of  the  judges  who  were  to  pass  upon  the  merits 
of  the  exhibits  ;  and  for  his  services  received  a  medal 
from  the  Austrian  Government.  During  his  stay  in 
Europe  he  devoted  special  attention  to  agricultural 
affairs,  and  on  his  return  home  published  a  book  in 
which  were  fully  set  forth  the  foreign  methods  of 
fertilizing  lands.  He  not  only  wrote  and  published 
many  papers  on  the  various  phases  of  agriculture,  but 
exerted  himself  to  found  an  agricultural  school  in 
Tokio,  and  established  on  a  good  foundation  a  peri- 
odical devoted  to  the  science  and  the  practise  of 
agriculture.  Although  printed  in  Japanese,  the  motto 
of  his  journal  was  a  sentiment  taken  from  George 
Washmgton,  and  which,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  was 
copied  from  his  magazine  by  the  Agricultural  Depart- 
ment of  the  United  States,  and  placed  over  the  door 
of  the  American  Section  for  Agriculture,  at  the  last 
Paris    Exposition.      Mr.    Tsuda    is    a  good   English 

234 


TSUDA   SEN.  235 


scholar,  and  by  way  of  giving  an  idea  of  his  style  and 
at  the  same  time  an  insight  into  some  of  his  experi- 
ences connected  with  Vienna,  we  submit  the  follow- 
ing letter  which  he  sent  to  the  editor  of  the  Japan 
Maily  on  the  seventh  of  August,  1876: 

"  Dear  Sir  : — I  notice  in  your  issue  of  the  eighth 
ultimo  some  erroneous  statements  about  "a  certain 
Mr.  Tsuda,"  coming  from  the  Kenrei  of  the  Chiba  Ken 
—  one  Naruto  Yoshitomi  —  and  the  Kangiorio. 

"  As  one  of  the  many  farmers  of  the  country,  on  my 
return  from  the  Vienna  Exhibition,  where  I  held  the 
post  of  one  of  the  Vice  Commissioners  of  Agriculture, 
I  attempted  to  teach  my  countrymen  to  develop  some 
of  the  neglected  agricultural  resources  of  Japan,  and 
introduce  some  of  the  new  methods  of  scientific  agri- 
culture, such  as  I  found  being  taught  by  the  learned 
professors  of  the  universities  and  colleges  of  Europe 
and  America,  and  adopted  by  the  farmers  there. 

•*  Since  my  return  to  Japan  I  have  published  several 
agricultural  books,  also  the  Agricultural  News ^  wherein 
I  have  attempted,  as  far  as  my  limited  education  and 
means  will  permit,  to  show  our  farmers  how  to  develop 
many  new  agricultural  industries,  among  which  was 
Hooibrenks'  method  of  using  an  artificial  fertilizer  for 
wheat,  barley  and  rice,  which,  as  I  introduced  it  into 
Japan,  is  known  in  this  country  as  the  Tsuda-nawa. 

"  This  process  was  used  in  many  of  the  sheltered 
fields  of  France,  as  well  as  the  Indian  colonies,  and  is 
also  described  by  His  Excellency  Mr.  Rochusan,  a 
Cabinet  Minister  of  Holland,  as  a  decided  success. 
Mr.  Hooibrenks  received  furthermore  from  the  hands 
of  the  Emperor  Napoleon  HI.,  a  decoration  for  his 
introduction  of  the  system. 

"  Now  this  method  of  cultivation  is  peculiarly  adapted 


236  LEADING    MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

to  this  country,  where  wheat  and  barley  are  sown  in 
rows,  and  may  therefore  easily  be  fecundated  by  the 
Tsuda-nawa. 

"  Most  of  the  arable  land  in  Japan  is  too  much  shel- 
tered and  does  not  get  the  needful  advantage  of  the 
breezes,  so  that  the  use  of  the  Tsuda-nawa  is  benefi- 
cial, especially  as  the  cost  of  same  is  small,  say  from 
yen  one,  twenty-five  hundredths  to  yen  five,  and  can 
be  used  for  many  years.  Farm  labour  is  cheap  also, 
so  that  the  use  of  the  Tsuda-nawa  does  not  entail  any 
cost  which  is  not  fully  compensated  for  by  the  return. 
Experiments  have  been  made  with  it  in  nearly  every 
ken  in  Japan,  and  while  in  some  cases  the  result  has 
shown  an  increase  in  the  crop  of  forty  per  cent.,  the 
average  may  very  fairly  be  stated  at  fifteen  per  cent. 
I  can  authenticate  this  statement  by  reports  from  ken 
officials  and  farmers,  now  in  my  possession,  which  are 
the  result  of  hundreds  of  experiments.  The  unfavour- 
able statements  made  by  the  Kenrei  of  Chiba  ken, 
are  based  on  a  trial  made  under  direction  of  the  Kencho 
officials,  which  in  some  cases  indeed  showed  a  loss, 
but  taken  together  showed  an  average  improvement 
of  four  per  cent.,  while  experiments  made  in  the  same 
ken  by  farmers  who  were  skillful  in  the  use  of  the 
Tsuda-nawa,  showed  an  improvement  of  twenty  per 
cent.  This  will  prove  that  the  Kenrei  was  wrong  in 
advising  the  people  not  to  use  the  Tsuda-nawa,  and 
his  statement  that  it  is  not  a  success  is  opposed  to 
facts  as  borne  out  by  actual  experiments. 

"  Such  statements  have  caused  me  personal  loss. 
Before  they  were  made  I  could  hardly  fulfil  the  orders 
for  the  Tsuda-nawa  which  I  received  from  the  farmers 
in  the  various  kens  in  Japan,  but  after  the  publication 
of  the  remarks  of  the  Kenri  of  Chiba  ken,  the  farm- 
ers, naturally,  were  chary  of  trying  the  experiment. 


TSUDA   SEN.  237 


"  It  is  my  opinion,  based  on  the  result  of  numerous 
careful  trials,  that  if  the  system  I  advocate  were  gen- 
erally adopted  as  regards  only  one  half  of  the  grain 
crop  in  Japan,  it  would  be  increased  annually  to  the 
value  of  eleven  million  yen. 

"Now,  if  such  is  the  case,  those  officials  who  through 
jealousy,  do  all  they  can  to  prevent  the  introduction 
of  the  system,  are  preventing  the  advancement  of 
prosperity  in  the  country  and  deserve  punishment,  or 
deprivation  of  their  office. 

"  Mr.  Naruto  Yoshitomi,  who  through  the  medium  of 
the  press  also  attacked  my  agricultural  improvements, 
asserts  that  the  system  which  I  have  also  advocated, 
namely  that  of  the  inclination  of  the  branches  of 
fruit  trees,  has  never  yet  been  tried  in  Japan.  This 
assertion  is  incorrect,  as  this  method  of  cultivation, 
which  is  in  great  favour  in  Europe  and  America,  has 
been  tried  in  many  parts  of  this  country  with  undoubted 
success,  and  to  my  certain  knowledge  the  growth  and 
bearing  of  apple,  pear,  mulberry  and  persimmon-trees, 
and  the  grape  vine,  have  greatly  benefited  by  it.  In 
the  province  of  Ise  some  fruit  trees  which  had  not 
borne  for  a  whole  generation,  produced  large  quanti- 
ties of  fruit  when  so  treated. 

**  By  the  increased  knowledge  of  the  art  of  agriculture 
to  be  derived  from  acquaintance  with  the  methods 
adopted  in  foreign  countries,  particularly  by  more 
attention  to  proper  drainage  and  subsoil  ploughing ; 
by  a  more  careful  cultivation  of  cereals,  flax,  tobacco, 
sugar-beets,  alfalfa  clover,  grasses  and  fruits,  and  by 
the  raising  of  stock,  I  hope  to  see  the  resources  of 
this  country  in  a  fair  way  to  be  doubled  within  the 
next  generation,  and  it  will  be  a  source  of  great  pleas- 
ure to  me  to  think  that  any  efforts  of  mine  have  tended 
towards    such  improvement.      The  true  progress  of 


238  LEADING   MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

this  country  is  to  be  looked  for  in  this  direction.  In 
conclusion  I  would  beg  to  thank  the  Government 
officials,  the  press  and  the  people  of  my  country,  for 
the  attention  which  has  been  paid  to  my  endeavors  to 
improve  agriculture  in  Japan,  and  for  the  kindness 
and  assistance  rendered  me ;  and  I  feel  confident  that 
my  endeavours  for  improvement  will  ultimately  result 
in  benefit  to  the  Government  and  the  country. 

"  Yours  faithfully,  S.  Tsuda.'* 

While  commenting  upon  Mr.  Tsuda's  career  as  an 
agriculturist,  ^ho,  Japan  Mail  Sdiys  as  follows  : 

"  Mr.  Tsuda,  who  had  been  trying  to  introduce  into 
Japan  the  system  of  artificial  fertilization  of  cereals 
as  recommended  by  Mr.  Hooibrenks,  has  published  a 
pamphlet  purporting  to  prove  that  the  system  has 
been  fairly  successful  where  a  proper  trial  has  been 
given  to  it.  Mr.  Tsuda  says  that  his  system  has  been 
tried  in  about  one  hundred  different  places  in  the 
Kanagawa  ken,  and  that  the  result  is  an  average 
increase  of  twenty  per  cent,  in  the  crops.  From 
various  other  parts  of  Japan  have  favorable  accounts 
of  the  process  been  received,  so  much  so  that  Mr.  Kido, 
the  Minister  of  Agriculture,  has  himself  written  a 
preface  to  Mr.  Tsuda's  publication,  recommending  a 
trial  of  the  system.  Mr.  Tsuda  further  says  that  the 
labour  of  fertilizing  growing  grain  is  but  one  third 
that  of  clearing  it  from  weeds,  and  the  cost  of  mate- 
rials required  is  trifling,  so  that  the  extra  outlay  in 
cash  and  labour  is  amply  compensated  for." 

Notwithstanding  the  difficulties  here  commented 
upon,  Mr.  Tsuda  has  worked  himself  up  to  a  most 
exalted  position  as  an  authority  on  agricultural  affairs, 
and  he  has  also  frequently  assisted  the  Government 


TSUDA   SEN.  239 


in  its  efforts  to  circulate  valuable  information  for  the 
benefit  of  the  people. 

Mr.  Tsuda,  moreover,  was  one  of  the  first  among 
the  higher  classes  of  Japan  to  adopt  the  Christian 
religion.  His  zeal  in  that  direction  is  quite  as  great 
as  it  is  in  behalf  of  agriculture.  Among  his  noble 
acts  as  a  Christian  was  to  hire  or  purchase  one  of  the 
abandoned  temples  in  Tokio,  where  a  Methodist  cler- 
gyman of  high  character  and  ability  has  preached  the 
Gospel  regularly  on  every  Sunday,  for  several  years ; 
while  during  the  week  days  a  flourishing  school  has 
been  maintained  in  the  same  old  temple,  and  wholly 
at  Mr.  Tsuda's  own  expense.  Like  himself,  all  the 
matured  members  of  his  large  family  are  communi- 
cants in  the  church  of  their  adoption. 

In  his  style  of  living  and  the  adornments  of  his 
house,  Mr.  Tsuda  has  adopted  many  of  the  ideas  gath- 
ered by  him  in  foreign  lands ;  and  the  extensive  garden 
which  surrounds  his  dwelling  is  said  to  be  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  in  the  city  of  Tokio.  Nor  will  a  more 
interesting  flower  be  seen  there  in  the  coming  years, 
than  the  form  of  his  daughter  Ume  Tsuda,  who  has 
for  the  last  ten  years  been  receiving  a  judicious  educa- 
tion in  the  city  of  Washington,  which  was  given  to 
her  by  the  Japanese  Government  as  a  tribute  of  respect 
for  her  distinguished  father. 

It  may  also  be  said  of  Mr.  Tsuda  that  he  has  a 
habit  of  taking  an  interest  in  all  the  literary,  scientific, 
and  benevolent  affairs  of  Tokio,  and  he  did  much  to 
secure  the  establishment  of  an  asylum  for  the  blind, 
and  the  deaf  and  dumb  of  the  city.  And  when  Gen- 
eral Grant  visited  Tokio,  Mr.  Tsuda  was  called  upon 
to  assist  in  doing  the  honors  of  the  day,  and  he  it  was 
who  planted  the  memorial  tree  for  the  ex-President 
and  his  wife. 


YAMADA  AKIYOSHI. 

THE  subject  of  this  memoir,  although  still  young^ 
—  not  yet  forty  years  of  age  —  has  passed 
through  stirring  scenes  of  strife  and  peril  which  fall 
to  the  lot  of  few  to  experience  even  in  the  longest 
lifetime.  General  Yamada  Akiyoshi  is  a  scion  of  the 
Choshiu  Clan,  and  was  originally  known  as  Ichi-no- 
suke.  From  his  first  admission  into  the  ranks  of 
manhood,  he  was  a  staunch  and  persistent  advocate 
of  the  restoration  of  the  Imperial  authority.  He  also, 
we  regret  to  record,  favored  the  expulsion  of  foreign- 
ers ;  but  his  opinion  on  this  subject  has  long  since 
been  changed  ;  and  the  political  errors  of  youth,  when 
subsequently  redressed,  are,  in  his  case,  no  more  fit 
subject  for  animadversion,  than  would  be  a  Liberal's 
condemnation  of  Mr.  Gladstone  for  commencing  his 
public  career  as  a  conscientious  Tory» 

In  1863  General  Yamada  visited  Kioto  with  the 
object  of  assisting  in  the  formation  of  a  league  to 
carry  out  the  patriotic  objects  upon  which  his  mind 
was  fully  bent.  In  the  ancient  capital  he  became 
intimate  with  the  leaders  of  the  party  with  which  he 
had  identified  himself,  and  when  the  seven  Imperial 
ministers  (among  them  was  the  present  Prime  Minis- 
ter, Sanjo  Sanetomi)  fled  from  Kioto  to  Choshiu  for 
safety,  taking  with  them  the  reigning  Emperor,  then 
the  heir  apparent,  Yamada  accompanied  the  party  on 
their  journey,   until  immutiny  from  all  danger  was 

240 


YAMADA    AKIYOSHI.  24 1 

secured  to  them.  He  then  returned  to  Kioto  and 
remained /d-n///  in  the  dwelling  of  a  secret  sympathiser, 
watching  the  progress  of  events,  and  keeping  the 
other  leaders  of  his  party  acquainted  with  every  thing 
of  importance  that  transpired  in  the  Imperial  city. 

At  length  concluding  that  the  time  for  decided 
action  had  at  last  arrived,  the  subject  of  this  memoir 
left  Kioto  in  1863,  and  returned  to  Choshiu,  where 
he  organized  a  large  military  force,  and  assuming  the 
command,  raised  the  standard  of  revolt  against  the 
Tokugawa  dynasty.  Nothing  decisive  following,  he 
again  visited  Kioto  in  the  ensuing  year  ( 1864),  and 
there  learned  that  Takeda  Kounsai  had  also  refused 
further  obedience  to  the  Shogunate  authorities,  and 
was  in  armed  opposition  to  them  in  the  province  of 
Yashiu  at  no  great  distance  from  Yedo. 

Yamada  was  anxious  to  throw  in  his  lot  with  Takeda, 
but  was  prevented  from  doing  so  by  various  unexpected 
obstacles.  However,  in  the  autumn  of  1864  his  desire 
for  active  service  was  gratified,  a  detachment  of  the 
Choshiu  army  being  sent  to  Fen-no-zan,  whither  he  at 
once  hastened.  In  conjunction  with  the  celebrated 
leaders,  Hisasaka  Michitake  and  Maki  Idzumi-no- 
kami,  he  warred  with  varying  success  against  the 
armies  of  Aidzu  and  Yechizen,  which  were  opposed  to 
the  Imperial  forces. 

Before  this  campaign  was  decided  the  allied  expedi- 
tion of  the  English,  French,  Dutch  and  American  fleets 
sailed  against  Shimonoseki,  and  Yamada  returned  to 
Choshiu  to  assist  in  the  defence  of  his  native  province 
against  the  assaults  of  the  foreigner.  In  the  winter 
of  the  same  year  the  Sh6gunate  Government  deter- 
mined to  send  an  expedition  against  Choshiu,  which 
caused  the  seven  Imperial  ministers  to  withdraw  to 
Chikuzen,  as  many  of  the  Choshiu  samurai  were  in 


242  LEADING   MEN   OF  JAPAN. 

favor  of  the  Tycoon's  Government  and  opposed  to  the 
reestablishment  of  the  supreme  Imperial  authority. 
In  January,  1865,  Yamada  took  the  field  against  the 
malcontents,  and  in  conjunction  with Takasugi  Shunpu, 
Ota  Nawokata,  and  other  loyal  subjects,  he  completely 
defeated  the  partisans  of  the  Tokugawa  usurpers. 

In  the  following  year  the  Shogunate  authorities 
despatched  a  strong  force  against  their  stubborn  oppo- 
nents in  Choshiu,  and  great  preparations  were  made 
to  give  the  assailants  a  warm  reception.  Yamada 
was  appointed  to  the  important  position  of  commander 
of  the  Choshiu  artillery,  and  took  an  active  part  in 
the  operations  which  followed.  Prominent  among  his 
many  services  may  be  mentioned  a  night  attack  by 
sea,  which  was  ably  designed  and  brilliantly  carried 
into  execution,  and  also  a  flank  march  towards  the 
frontier  of  Geishiu,  which  resulted  in  the  enemy  being 
cut  off  from  his  base  of  supplies,  out-manoeuvred  and 
defeated. 

When  the  final  war  of  the  Restoration  broke  out  at 
Fushimi  in  1868,  Yamada  was  appointed  Head  of  the 
Staff  under  Prince  Higashi  Fushimi,  the  Commander- 
in-Chief,  and  after  participating  in  the  carnpaign  he 
returned  to  Choshiu  on  board  the  man-of-war  Teibo 
Kan  No.  i.  Leaving  Choshiu  he  took  part  in  the 
operations  against  the  rebels  in  Yechigo,  and  distin- 
guished himself  at  the  stoutly  contested  and  sanguin- 
ary battles  of  Idzumo-saki  and  Niigata,  and  indeed 
throughout  the  whole  campaign,  which  resulted  in  the 
total  defeat  of  the  rebel  forces. 

While  the  operations  in  Yechigo  were  in  progress, 
Enomoto  Kawajiro  (now  Admiral  Enomoto  Take-aki, 
the  recently  appointed  Naval  Minister),  who  held  a 
command  in  the  Shogunate  fleet,  sailed  from  Yedo  to 
Hakodate  with  a  rebel  squadron,  Yamada  was  placed 


YAMADA    AKIYOSHI.  243 

at  the  head  of  the  land  and  sea  forces  sent  to  reduce 
Hakodate  to  submission,  and  succeeded  in  accomplish- 
ing the  object  of  the  expedition  after  a  series  of  hard- 
fought  engagements,  in  which  large  numbers  of  men 
were  killed  and  wounded. 

Returning  to  Tokio  in  May,  1868,  Yamada  was 
appointed  Daijo  of  the  War  Department,  and  in  the 
following  year  he  was  rewarded  for  his  eminent  ser- 
vices with  a  pension  of  six  hundred  kokus  of  rice. 

Early  in  1870  Yamada  was  entrusted  with  the  task 
of  establishing  and  organizing  the  arsenal,  military 
school,  hospital,  etc.,  at  Osaka,  and  met  with  that 
success  in  this  new  field  of  labor  which  skill  and  energy 
always  command.  In  July,  1871,  he  was  appointed  a 
lieutenant-general  in  the  army,  and  afterwards  to 
the  suite  of  His  Excellency  Iwakura,  with  whose 
embassy  he  visited  America  and  the  various  countries 
of  Europe.  While  abroad  Yamada  attentively  studied 
the  military  systems  of  the  West,  and  returned  to 
Japan  in  time  to  take  part  in  the  campaign  against 
the  Saga  rebels  in  1873.  In  command  of  a  strong 
column  of  troops  Yamada  greatly  distinguished  him- 
self, and  the  desperate  valor  for  which  he  is  celebrated" 
was  never  more  conspicuous  than  when  he  rallied  his 
wavering  troops  under  a  tremendous  storm  of  bullets 
in  the  decisive  battle  which  crushed  the  rebel  rising. 

In  February,  1877,  the  brave  and  popular,  but  mis- 
guided Saigo  Takamori,  the  leader  of  the  powerful 
Satsuma  revolt  and  field-marshal  in  command  of  the 
Japanese  army,  yielded  to  the  representations  of  false 
advisers  and  raised  the  standard  of  revolt  in  the  south- 
west. Yamada  had  to  take  the  field  against  his  old 
superior  officer,  and  took  his  usual  prominent  part 
in  the  sanguinary  operations  which  resulted  in  the 
total  defeat  of  the  insurgents. 


244  LEADING   MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

The  return  of  peace  to  the  country  so  long  dis- 
tracted by  the  horrors  of  war,  brought  new  and  well- 
merited  honors  to  the  subject  of  this  too  brief  memoir; 
he  was  decorated  with  the  Japanese  Order  of  the 
second  class  and  succeeded  His  Excellency  Inouye 
Kaworu  (now  Foreign  Minister),  as  Minister  of  Public 
Works. 


YANAGIWARA  SAKIMITSU. 

THIS  accomplished  nobleman  was  born  in  Kioto, 
and  is  not  yet  forty  years  of  age.  After 
acquiring  a  first-class  native  education  he  devoted 
himself  to  the  study  of  Japanese  and  Chinese  litera- 
ture. During  the  troubles  with  China  about  Loo- 
Choo,  he  went  to  that  country  with  Okubo,  and 
assisted  in  the  diplomatic  negotiations  which  resulted 
so  favorably.  He  was  afterwards  connected  with 
the  Gen-ro  in,  or  Senate,  holding  two  of  the  highest 
positions  therein;  and  in  1880  he  went  as  Minister 
Plenipotentiary  to  the  Court  of  Saint  Petersburg, 
where  he  still  continues.  The  intercourse  between 
Russia  and  Japan  has  always  been  most  cordial  and 
friendly  ;  and  as  the  Russian  ministers  sent  to  the 
Island  Empire  have  always  been  men  of  high  charac- 
ter, it  is  quite  natural  that  the  Japanese  ministers 
accredited  to  Russia  should  be  worthy  representatives. 
It  is  a  singular  coincidence  that  while  Russia  and 
China  are,  in  their  areas,  the  two  largest  empires  in 
the  world,  and  Japan  one  of  the  smallest,  that  they 
should  both  have  gone  into  history  as  having  added 
to  their  domain  at  the  expense  of  Japan  —  Russia  in 
purchasing  Sagalin,  and  China  in  claiming  jurisdic- 
tion over  Loo-Choo.  But  it  is  a  comfort  to  know  that 
so  long  as  Japan  maintains  her  high  character  as  one 
of  the  family  of  nations,  she  need  not  apprehend  any 
trouble  from  foreign  encroachments. 

24s 


YOSHIDA  KIYONARI. 

HE  was  born  in  the  province  of  Satsuma,  in  1845, 
and  was  educated  by  private  tutors  in  his 
own  language  and  Japanese  history,  and  in  the  Chi- 
nese classics,  at  the  Government  College  of  his  native 
province.  In  1865,  with  Arinori  Mori  and  other 
students  from  Satsuma,  he  visited  Europe  and  went 
through  a  course  of  studies  at  University  College 
in  London.  During  his  residence  of  two  years  in 
that  city  he  kept  his  eyes  wide  open  in  regard  to 
all  the  public  events  of  the  time,  and  among  the 
results  of  his  frequent  attendance  on  the  debates 
of  Parliament  was  a  feeling  of  special  admiration 
for  Mr.  Gladstone,  which  has  only  been  increased 
by  the  subsequent  history  of  the  great  statesman. 
What  Mr.  Yoshida  saw  of  the  United  States,  on  his 
way  to  Europe,  induced  him  to  reside  in  this  country 
for  a  while  before  his  return  home,  and  while  prose- 
cuting a  course  of  studies  under  private  tutors  in 
Massachusetts  and  New  Jersey,  he  acquired  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  American  people  and  of  public  affairs. 
On  his  return  to  Japan  he  was  made  by  Cabinet 
appointment  one  of  the  chief  clerks  of  the  Finance 
Department,  having  always  had  an  aptness  for  that 
particular  study.  His  next  position  was  that  of  com- 
missioner of  Internal  Revenue,  which  came  to  him 
in  his  twenty-sixth  year  by  Imperial  appointment, 
and  he  originated   several  important  measures.     In 

246 


YOSHIDA    KIYONARI.  247 

1 87 1  he  was  appointed  Assistant  Minister  of  Finance, 
in  which  capacity  he  again  visited  the  United  States 
and  England,  and  in  the  latter  country,  under  very 
favorable  circumstances,  negotiated  a  loan  for  twelve 
millions  of  dollars. 

Returning  to  Japan  he  there  continued  his  finan- 
cial services  until  1874,  when  he  was  commissioned 
as  Minister  Plenipotentiary  to  Washington,  having 
been  the  youngest  Japanese  who  ever  received  an 
Imperial  appointment.  With  the  exception  of  about 
one  year  which  he  spent  at  home  on  leave,  he  was 
a  resident  of  Washington  until  January,  1882,  when 
by  his  high  character  and  agreeable  manners  he 
acquired  a  popularity  which  was  not  second  to  that 
of  any  diplomat  who  ever  resided  in  the  metropolis 
of  the  United  States. 

When  Mr.  Yoshida  was  in  Japan,  in  the  enjoyment 
of  his  furlough,  ex-President  Grant  arrived  in  that 
country,  and  it  was  the  most  natural  thing  in  the 
world  for  him  to  be  selected  as  the  chief  man  to 
do  the  honors  on  that  occasion  ;  and  that  he  per- 
formed the  agreeable  duties  assigned  to  him  in  a 
highly  creditable  manner  has  passed  into  history ; 
nor  can  it  ever  be  forgotten  that  his  accomplished 
wife  did  her  full  share  in  making  the  sojourn  of 
Mrs.  Grant  all  that  could  be  desired. 

While  Mr.  Yoshida  has  been  quite  willing  to  serve 
his  country  as  a  diplomat,  the  favorite  bent  of  his 
mind  is  in  the  direction  of  finance,  in  regard  to  which 
his  reading  has  been  extensive.  But  aside  from  his 
many  other  duties  as  a  diplomatic  representative  of 
his  country,  he  negotiated  at  least  one  treaty  which 
will  ever  remain  a  monument  to  his  abilities,  dis- 
cretion and  high  sense  of  honor.  When  there  was 
hardly  a  man  in  Japan  who  could  speak  a  foreign 


248  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

language,  a  lot  of  foreign  ministers  put  their  heads 
togiether  and  made  treaties  with  that  Empire  which 
were  designed  to  help  the  pockets  of  the  foreign 
powers  at  the  expense  of  the  simple-hearted  Ori- 
entals. And  their  unhallowed  intentions  were  fully 
realized.  As  time  progressed  it  became  a  question 
of  the  greatest  importance  that  the  old  treaties  should 
be  revised,  and  to  the  accomplishment  of  that  task 
Mr.  Yoshida  bent  all  his  energies  from  the  moment 
of  his  accepting  the  mission  to  the  United  States. 
He  tried  his  hand  with  Secretary  Fish,  but  in  vain  ; 
he  did  the  same  with  Secretary  Evarts,  and  was 
successful.  The  treaty  was  negotiated  and  promptly 
ratified  by  the  Senate  ;  and,  to  speak  in  general 
terms,  all  that  was  required  from  our  Government 
was  the  recognition  of  the  fact  that  Japan  was  a  free 
and  independent  member  of  the  family  of  nations, 
and  had  a  perfect  right  to  conduct  all  her  internal 
affairs  according  to  her  needs  and  desires.  As  this 
was  intended  to  be  the  first  of  the  new  series  of 
treaties,  and  believing  that  all  the  powers  of  the 
world  would  be  entirely  willing  to  follow  any  just 
and  proper  example  which  might  be  set  before  them, 
Mr.  Yoshida  submitted  a  clause  in  his  treaty  to  the 
effect  that  it  should  not  go  into  operation  until  all 
the  powers  had  adopted  a  similar  revision  of  their 
treaties  with  Japan.  This  was  the  conception  of 
an  honest  and  high-toned  man,  wholly  divested  of 
any  thing  like  the  trickery  which  too  frequently 
obtains  in  matters  diplomatic.  But  what  was  the 
result  ?  Because  of  the  sordid  selfishness  of  England 
there  has  not  as  yet  been  expressed  by  her  Govern- 
ment a  single  word  of  manly,  just,  or  generous  recog- 
nition of  the  treaty  made  by  Yoshida  and  Evarts. 
As  we  arc  thus  reminded  of  the  arbitrary  and  grasp- 


YOSHIDA    KIYONARI.  249 

ing  character  of  John  Bull,  it  is  a  comfort  to  know, 
however,  that  the  "  mills  of  the  gods  "  have  not  yet 
been  abolished.  When  such  a  splendid  woman  as 
Florence  Nightingale  can,  in  an  elaborate  review, 
brand  the  story  of  India  as  a  disgrace  to  England,  the 
time  is  not  far  distant  when  an  opinion  equally  con- 
demnatory will  be  uttered  against  the  sham  cradle  of 
modern  civilization  for  her  cruel  and  oppressive  and 
outrageous  policy  against  the  struggling  but  gallant 
Empire  of  the  Pacific. 

It  may  also  be  mentioned  as  an  evidence  of  Mr. 
Yoshida's  quiet  and  unobtrusive  influence  in  Wash- 
ington, that  Congress  should  have  made  and  treated 
with  the  most  friendly  consideration  the  proposition 
to  return  to  Japan  a  certain  sum  of  money  known 
as  the  Shimonoseki  Indemnity  Fund.  Of  course, 
as  this  is  altogether  an  American  affair,  Mr.  Yoshida, 
has  had  nothing  to  do  with  it  excepting  so  far  as  the 
giving  of  information  on  the  subject  when  required  to 
do  so;  but  while  his  ideas  of  propriety  have  prevented 
him  from  discussing  the  merits  of  the  question,  he 
took  pleasure  in  manifesting  to  those  concerned  his 
warm  appreciation  of  all  that  had  been  uttered  in 
debate,  published  in  the  papers,  or  been  done  in 
Congress  in  regard  to  the  proposed  restoration. 

The  large  and  handsome  building  occupied  by  Mr. 
Yoshida  as  the  Japanese  Legation  in  Washington 
is  the  property  of  his  Government,  and  on  a  beau- 
tiful lawn  adjoining,  the  bright-eyed  and  happy  chil- 
dren of  the  Minister  were  frequently  seen  frolicking 
with  their  nurses.  The  oldest  of  these  children  was 
a  sweet  little  girl,  and  a  great  pet  with  the  many 
people  who  visited  Mrs.  Yoshida ;  and  the  third 
child  was  a  boy  bearing  the  name  of  Grant,  in  honor 
of  the  ex-President  and  his  visit  to  Japan.     Although 


250  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

Mr.  Yoshida  still  keeps  up  his  old  habits  of  study, 
and  is  devoted  to  the  higher  branches  of  literature, 
he  is  fond  of  company,  and  his  private  entertainments 
in  Washington  were  numerous  and  his  public  recep- 
tions among  the  most  popular  in  the  city.  He  is 
also  devoted  to  the  study  and  practise  of  art,  and 
as  an  amateur  well  deserves  to  be  classed  with  Sir 
John  Crampton  and  Sir  Saville  Lumley,  who  were 
formerly  associated  with  the  British  Legation  in 
Washington.  In  the  latter  part  of  1881  he  was 
recalled  from  Washington  "and  returned  to  Japan  to 
become  as  was  supposed,  a  member  of  the  Imperial 
Cabinet. 


YOSHIDA  TORAJIRO. 

HE  was  born  in  the  province  of  Chosiii,  about  the 
year  1830,  and  early  became  a  superior  scholar 
in  the  languages  of  Chinese  and  Japan.  At  the  time 
of  Commodore  Perry's  arrival  in  Japan,  he  went  to  ■ 
Yedo  and  became  a  ronin,  or  feudal  outlaw,  or  one 
of  those  who  was  willing  to  do  any  thing  to  produce  a 
new  state  of  affairs  in  the  Empire,  and  where  he  was 
instructed  in  the  Dutch  language,  and  also  supported 
by  one  of  the  retainers  of  the  Shogun's  Councillors, 
named  Sakuma  Shozan.  Hearing  that  a  Russian  ship 
had  arrived  at  Nagasaki,  which  he  desired  to  see,  he 
went  to  that  port  in  disguise,  supporting  himself  by 
writing  poetry  ;  but  finding  the  ship  gone  he  returned 
to  Yedo.  Again  hearing  that  Perry  was  on  the  coast 
and  had  arrived  at  Simoda,  his  vague  desires  received 
a  new  impulse,  and  he  hastened  to  that  place  ;  there 
boarded  the  Commodore's  ship  for  the  purpose  of 
making  himself  useful  or  of  escaping  into  a  foreign 
land ;  but  the  newly-made  treaty  stipulations  caused 
him  to  be  returned  to  the  shore,  when  he  and  his 
friend  Sakuma  suffered  a  long  captivity.  In  spite  of 
all  these  troubles  he  succeeded  in  making  converts  to 
his  ronin  theories.  We  next  hear  of  him  as  a  school- 
teacher, but  pursuing  the  calling  under  the  surveil- 
lance of  the  Government.  As  time  progressed,  his 
hostility  to  the  Shdgun's  Government  knew  no  abate- 
ment, and  in  his  zeal  to  restore  the  Mikado  to  power, 

251 


252  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

he  went  to  Kioto  in  1859,  made  an  attempt  upon  the 
life  of  one  of  the  Shogun's  ministers,  but  before  leav- 
ing Tokio  he  wrote  the  following  letter  to  his  father  : 

My  dear  Father  :  —  I,  YoshidaTorajiro,  have  been  guilty  of  great 
errors,  and  have  offended  against  the  law  of  my  country,  yet  still  my 
life  has  been  preserved.  In  looking  back  upon  the  last  twenty-nine  years 
I  find  I  have  frequently  passed  through  great  dangers ;  in  fact,  my  very 
existence  has  often  been  in  peril,  and  I  know  that  I  have  caused  great 
trouble  to  you  all,  my  dear  father  and  brothers.  I  have  been  a  great 
offender  and  a  bad  son ;  but  if  I  remain  silent  at  the  present  crisis  of 
our  Empire,  the  result  might  be  the  destruction  of  the  Imperial  Gov- 
ernment. Behold,  how  viciously  the  Bakufu  authorities  conduct  their 
business!  They  discredit  the  commands  of  the  Emperor  and  have 
entered  into  a  treaty  with  a  set  of  barbarians.  Moreover  when  the  Tairo 
(regency)  and  San-ke  (heads  of  three  great  Tokugawa  families)  were 
summoned  by  their  monarch  to  Kioto,  they  did  not  obey,  but  sent 
Mabe  Jensho  in  theii  stead,  upon  the  errand  of  imprisoning  noblemen 
and  arresting  the  gentry  and  Cf)mmon  people.  The  Siogun  l:)eing  young, 
he  is  not  personally  able  to  administer  affairs,  consequently  li  Kamon 
no  Kami  decides  every  question,  and  Mabe  Jensho  assists  him.  Thus 
the  management  of  the  Yedo  officials  is  growing  worse  and  worse 
every  day.  Their  guilt  is  very  great,  because  at  the  same  time  that 
they  oppose  the  will  of  the  Emperor  they  also  bring  injury  upon  the 
house  of  Tokugawa.  But  there  have  been  none  who  would  complain 
of  their  crimes  to  the  Government.  I  have  been  very  angry  with 
them  and  desired  to  eat  their  flesh.  I  have  heard  that  the  samurai  of 
Owari,  Mito,  and  Yechizen  have  conceived  a  plan  for  putting  an  end 
to  li  Kamon  no  Kami,  and  when  this  came  to  my  knowledge  I  leaped 
up  and  danced  three  hundred  times.  Rejoiced  as  I  was,  I  reflected 
that  if  I  were  to  join  in  the  execution  of  the  plot  people  would  laugh 
at  me  because  I  simply  followed  the  lead  of  others.  Therefore  I 
arranged  with  a  few  of  my  own  friends  and  am  going  to  Kioto  with 
the  object  of  killing  Mabe  Jensho.  It  is  our  desire  to  cut  off  his  head 
and  impale  it  on  a  bamboo,  and  thus  manifest  our  resolution  to  serve 
the  rightful  cause.  But  if  we  unfortunately  are  not  successful  in  our 
project,  and  are  arrested,  we  shall  bravely  declare  our  views  without 
fear  of  keeping  any  thing  back,  and  shall  not  cause  any  trouble  to 
our  lord  of  Choshiu.  The  reason  why  we  do  not  obtain  permission  to 
travel  from  the  Choshiu  officials  is,  that  we  do  not  wish  to  give  any 
embarrassment  to  the  Daimio.  We  shall  take  all  the  blame  of  every 
thing  t'  at  follows  upon  ourselves.  Lately  I  sent  a  few  memoranda  of 
my  opinions  upon  certain  subjects  to  Riyosen  Seigan.  He  presented 
them  to  the  Emperor,  and  I  have  been  honored  with  an  acknowledg- 


YOSHIDA   TORAJIRO.  253 

ment  from  our  Imperial  master.  There  is  nothing  more  glorious  for 
me  than  to  be  distinguished  in  so  honorable  a  manner,  and  I  must 
prove  my  gratitude  and  loyalty  without  paying  the  slightest  attention 
to  the  preservation  of  my  life.  I  am  not  mindful  of  my  duties  to  you, 
but  I  wish  you  to  understand  me  that  I  have  felt  as  if  I  were  dead  for 
a  long  time.  I  cannot  write  all  I  could  wish,  owing  to  the  sorrowful 
state  of  my  heart. 

Having  failed  in  his  mission  to  Kioto  he  was  again 
imprisoned.  But  he  was  not  left  without  friends  and 
supporters.  The  closing  scenes  of  his  life,  given  by- 
one  who  knew  him  well,  are  as  follows : 

"  In  the  next  cell  lay  one  Kusakah6,  a  reformer 
from  the  southern  highlands  of  Satsuma.  They  were 
in  prison  for  different  plots  indeed,  but  for  the  same 
intention  ;  they  shared  the  same  beliefs  and  the  same 
aspirations  for  Japan.  Many  and  long  were  the  con- 
versations they  held  through  the  prison  wall,  and 
dear  was  the  sympathy  that  soon  united  them.  It 
fell  first  to  the  lot  of  Kusdkahe  to  pass  before  the 
judges,  and  when  sentence  of  death  had  been  pro- 
nounced he  was  led  towards  the  place  of  death  below 
Yoshida's  window.  To  turn  the  head  would  have 
been  to  implicate  his  fellow-prisoner ;  but  he  threw 
him  a  look  from  his  eye  and  bade  him  farewell  in 
a  loud  voice,  with  these  two  Chinese  verses  : 

It  is  better  to  be  a  crystal  and  be  broken, 

Than  to  remain  p>erfect  like  a  tile  upon  the  housetop. 

So  Kusakah^  passed  out  of  the  theatre  of  this  world. 
"A  little  after,  and  Yoshida  too  must  appear 
before  the  court.  He  seized  on  the  opportunity 
of  a  public  audience,  confessed  and  gloried  in  his 
design,  and,  reading  his  auditors  a  lesson  in  the 
history  of  their  country,  told  at  length  the  illegality 
of  the  Sh6gun's  power  and  the  crimes  by  which  its 


254  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

exercise  was  sullied.  So,  having  said  his  say  for  once, 
he  was  led  forth  and  executed,  in  the  thirty -first  year 
of  his  age,  having  acquired  fame  as  a  poet,  a  patriot, 
a  schoolmaster,  a  friend  to  learning,  and  a  martyr  to 
reform.  He  was  not  only  wise  and  provident  in 
thought,  but  surely  a  hero  in  execution.  During  the 
course  of  his  trial  the  judge  said:  'While  Mumeta 
Genjiro  was  travelling  in  Choshiu,  you  joined  him  and 
sent  a  secret  document  signed  with  fictitious  names, 
and  otherwise  planned  to  destroy  the  Bakufu  Govern- 
ment. Your  wickedness  is  great.  Behold  !  when  you 
offended  before,  the  authorities  liberated  you  with 
unmerited  mercy.  Why  do  you  thus  continue  your 
enmity  toward  those  who  have  treated  you  leniently.? ' 
*You  are  mistaken,'  replied  Yoshida,  *  I  am  a 
stranger  to  Mumeta  Genjiro,  and  I  do  not  know  any 
thing  about  the  secret  document  you  refer  to.  But 
I  must  state  that  the  true  reason  why  I  have  been 
imprisoned  is  because  first,  I  sent  a  communication 
expressive  of  my  feelings  on  the  subjects  of  Son  O 
Jo-i  to  Ohara,  saisho,  and  I  have  tried  to  induce  the 
people  of  Choshiu  to  adopt  my  ideas.  This  com- 
munication has  brought  the  suspicion  of  the  author- 
ities of  Choshiu  upon  mc.  Secondly,  I  joined  a  few 
friends  and  went  to  Kioto  for  the  purpose  of  killing 
Mabe  Jensho.  I  do  not  know  any  thing  further  than 
this.'  Thus  he  boldly  avowed  his  deeds  to  the  Bak- 
ufu officials,  who  had  not  expected  such  frankness. 
It  is  hard  to  say  which  is  most  remarkable,  his 
capacity  for  command,  which  subdued  his  very 
jailers,  his  hot,  unflagging  zeal,  or  his  stubborn 
superiority  to  defeat.  He  failed  in  each  particular 
enterprise  that  he  attempted  ;  and  yet  we  have  only 
to  look  at  his  country  to  see  how  complete  has  been 
his  general   success.     His  friends  and   pupils  made 


YOSHIDA    TORAJIRO.  255 

the  majority  of  leaders  in  the  final  revolution,  and 
many  of  them  are,  or  were,  high  placed  among  the 
rulers  of  Japan.  And  when  we  see  all  round  us 
these  brisk,  intelligent  students,  with  their  strange 
foreign  air,  we  should  never  forget  how  Yoshida 
marched  afoot  from  Choshiu  to  Yedo,  and  from  Yedo 
to  Nagasaki,  and  from  Nagasaki  back  again  to  Yedo  ; 
how  he  boarded  the  American  ship,  his  dress  stuffed 
with  writing  material ;  nor  how  he  languished  in  prison, 
and  finally  gave  his  death,  as  he  had  formerly  given 
all  his  life  and  strength  and  leisure,  to  gain  for  his 
native  land  that  very  benefit  which  she  now  enjoys 
so  largely.  It  is  better  to  be  Yoshida,  and  perish, 
than  to  be  only  Sakuma,  and  yet  save  the  hide. 
Kusakah^  of  Satsuma,  has  said  the  word  :  it  is  better 
to  be  a  crystal  and  be  broken. 

"  I  must  add  a  word,"  continued  the  narrator,  **  for  I 
hope  you  will  not  fail  to  perceive  that  this  is  as  much 
the  story  of  a  heroic  people  as  that  of  a  heroic  man. 
It  is  not  enough  to  remember  Yoshida  ;  we  must  not 
forget  the  common  soldier,  nor  Kusakahe,  nor  the 
boy  of  eighteen,  Normura,  of  Choshiu,  whose  eager- 
ness betrayed  the  plot.  It  is  exhilarating  to  have 
lived  in  the  same  days  with  these  great-hearted  men. 
Only  a  few  miles  from  us,  to  speak  by  the  proportion 
of  the  universe,  while  I  was  droning  over  my  lessons 
Yoshida  was  goading  himself  to  be  wakeful  with  the 
stings  of  the  mosquito  ;  and  while  we  were  grudging 
a  penny  income  tax,  Kusakah6  was  stepping  to  death 
with  a  noble  sentence  on  his  lips." 


BIOGRAPHICAL  ADDENDA. 

THE  foregoing  collection  of  Japanese  biographies 
is  the  first  that  was  ever  submitted  to  the  for- 
eign public ;  and  as  the  editor  was  obliged  to  collect 
his  facts  and  do  his  work  thousands  of  miles  away 
from  the  homes  of  the  men  he  wished  to  write  about, 
the  reader  will  readily  understand  the  difficulties  he 
has  had  to  contend  with.  Many  men  of  high  character, 
wide  reputation  and  great  usefulness  have  undoubtedly 
been  omitted  in  this  collection,  whose  very  names  are 
not  known  to  the  writer ;  and  there  are  some  who 
have  done  the  public  good  service,  in  regard  to  whom 
his  information  was  too  limited  to  be  of  any  use  in 
the  present  publication.  Among  the  latter,  however, 
it  affords  him  pleasure  to  mention  the  following : 

Giro  Yano,  who  had  charge  of  the  Washington  Le- 
gation as  charge  ad  interim  after  the  recall  of  Arinori 
Mori ;  Nabashema,  Prince  of  Hizen,  now  Minister  to 
Italy;  Takaki  Samro,  at  one  time  attached  to  the 
Japanese  Legation  in  Washington,  and  subsequently 
Consul  at  San  P'rancisco  and  New  York ;  Tomita 
Tetsunosuke,  who  held  precisely  the  same  position,  in 
addition  to  that  of  Consul  at  London  ;  Yoshida  Djiro, 
formerly  Secretary  of  Legation  at  Washington  and  now 
in  the  P^oreign  Office  at  Tokio ;  Wooyeno  Kagenori, 
Minister  to  England  ;  Asada  Yasunori  and  Amano 
Koziro,  formerly  in  Washington  and  now  in  theP'oreign 
Office  ;  Takahira  Kogoro  the  present  Charg^  d  Affairs 

256 


BIOGRAPHICAL    ADDENDA.  25/ 

at  Washington  ;  Kio  Kawamoora,  who  relinquished  his 
student  life  in  America  to  become  a  painter,  and  who, 
after  a  long  residence  in  France  and  Italy,  returned  to 
Japan  with  a  brilliant  reputation  ;  Kawase  Matasaka, 
late  Minister  to  Italy ;  Tanaka  Yoshio  of  the  Interior 
Department  in  Tokio  ;  Riokichi  Yatahe,  who  carried 
off  all  the  honors  of  scholarship  at  the  Cornell  Univer- 
sity and  is  now  Professor  of  Botany  in  the  Imperial 
University,  of  Japan  ;  Shiuichino  Saito,  the  translator 
into  English  of  the  Loyal  Ronins,  by  Tamenaga  ; 
Hiboyuki  Kato,  the  President,  and  Ichizo  Hattori, 
Vice  President  of  the  Imperial  University  ;  Masakoto 
Kimura  and  Tatsuo  Kishmoto,  professors  in  the 
University  ;  Noriuki  Gah,  and  Yaskazon  Tanabe,  for- 
merly of  the  Foreign  Office  and  connected  with  the 
Iwakura  Embassy  ;  and  Giobu  Neero,  who  was  one 
of  the  first  of  the  Satsuma  Clan  to  espouse  the 
cause  of  modern  civilization  in  Japan,  and  who 
took  charge  of  sixteen  students  during  their  resi- 
dence in  Europe,  a  large  proportion  of  whom  have 
since  been  honorably  identified  with  the  public  inter- 
ests of  their  native  land.  The  editor  also  regrets  that 
he  has  also  been  unable  to  give  a  sketch  of  the  lives 
of  Kei  Sal  Yei  Sen  and  Watanabe  Shoka,  who  take 
the  lead  among  the  painters  of  Japan,  the  last  of  whom 
possesses  the  wonderful  skill  of  painting  with  both 
hands  at  the  same  time. 


PART  SECOND. 


THE  EMPIRE  OF  JAPAN. 

AS  the  marvellous  story  of  the  Empire  of  Japan 
may  be  traced  through  more  than  twenty-five 
centuries,  all  that  can  be  done  in  a  single  article  is  to 
touch  upon  the  more  important  points  of  its  geogra- 
phy and  history.  Whilst  we  look  with  amazement 
upon  the  recent  developments  in  that  highly  favored 
land  of  the  Orient,  we  shall  also  find  that  there  has 
always  been  something  allied  to  the  wonderful  in  its 
career,  whether  we  consider  its  physical  characteris- 
tics, its  people,  or  its  government. 

This  Empire  lies  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the 
Pacific  Ocean,  and  consists  of  four  large  islands  and  a 
great  number  of  smaller  ones.  It  is  separated  on  the 
west  from  Corea  by  a  strait  which  is  about  five  hun- 
dred miles  wide ;  at  its  northwestern  extremity  is  the 
island  of  Tisima,  or  "  the  Thousand  Islands  ;  "  and  at 
the  north  is  the  island  of  Krafto  or  Saghalien,  which 
has  long  been  held  jointly  by  the  Japanese  and 
Russian  governments,  but  now,  according  to  a  recent 
agreement,  is  held  by  Russia  alone.  The  largest  of 
the  islands  which  compose  the  Empire  is  commonly 
called  Nipon  or  Niphon  —  which  name  in  reality 
belongs  to  the  whole  country  —  and  contains  about 
94,cx>D  square  miles.  The  second  is  Yesso,  with 
about  30,000  square  miles ;  the  third  is  Kiusiu,  with 
16,000  square  miles  ;  and  the  forth  is  Sikok,  with  an 
area  of  10,000  square  miles.     The  total  length  of  the 

261 


262  .    LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

Empire  is  16,000  English  miles,  its  greatest  breadth  a 
little  more  than  200,  the  number  of  islands  3850,  and 
the  entire  area  is  estimated  at  about  150,000  square 
miles  —  all  these  figures  being  gathered  from  the 
latest  official  statistics.  The  sea-coasts  are  generally 
bold  and  rocky,  and  indented  with  very  numerous 
bays  forming  spacious  and  secure  harbors.  The  poet- 
ical title  ~by  which  the  Japanese  designate  their 
country  is  "The  Land_o£ Jthe  _Ri_siiLg-Sun,''  which 
well  describes  its  iQ£aldojQ_as.JLl]LaJxujst  ea^terrL-of^all 
the  Asiatic  empires,  and  their  national  emblem  repre- 
sents the  sun  rising  out  of  the  sea.  The  theory  that 
America  was  originally  peopled  by  Japanese,  who 
were  driven  by  stress  of  weather  across  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  is  not  only  interesting,  but  claimed  by  many 
to  be  sustained  by  historical  facts  and  traditions. 
That  much  of  what  passes  as  authentic  history  among 
the  Japanese  is  mythical  cannot  be  questioned,  but 
there  seems  to  be  no  reason  to  question  the  truthful- 
ness of  the  statements  which,  with  the  help  of  Japan- 
ese scholars,  the  present  writer  has  been  able  to  cull 
from  their  history. 

The  cities  of  Japan  are  numerous.  Two  of  them 
have  become  famous  because  selected  as  capitals  — 
Miako  or  Saikio,  the  western  capital,  and  Tokei,  com 
monly  called  Yedo,  the  eastern  capital.  The  first,  which 
has  never  been  open  to  foreigners,  lies  in  latitude  35° 
05'  N.,  and  longitude  4°  10'  W.,  and  was  the  ancient 
seat  of  government,  dating  its  origin  from  a.  d.  794. 
It  stands  on  a  plain,  is  surrounded  with  mountains, 
and  directly  through  the  centre  runs  the  river  Kano, 
noted  for  the  purity  of  its  water.  It  contains  374,000 
inhabitants,  and,  though  small  when  compared  with 
the  modern  capital,  is  a  place  of  great  interest.  It  is 
entered  by  six  principal  roads.     Its  streets  are  clean, 


THE    EMPIRE    OF   JAPAN.  26$ 

its  temples,  which  may  be  counted  by  the  hundred, 
are  beautiful,  and  its  silk  factories  have  a  wide  reputa- 
tion. The  city  of  Tokei  lies  in  latitude  35°  35'  N.,  and 
longitude  139°  40'  E.,  and  in  magnitude  ranks  next  to 
Pekin  in  China.  In  1861  it  claimed  to  have  about 
i,5<X),ooo  inhabitants,  but  the  population  is  now  con- 
siderable less.  While  it  has  decreased  in  numbers,  it 
has  increased  in  commerce.  Its  gardens  and  open 
spaces  are  numerous,  and  give  it  an  air  of  comfort 
and  freedom  which  is  unusual.  It  is  intersected  by 
many  canals,  and  its  bridges  are  numerous.  As  the 
present  capital  and  residence  of  the  Imperial  court, 
it  is  the  meeting-place  of  the  national  legislature, 
called  a  Parliament ;  it  also  has  a  well-endowed  college, 
a  governor  and  police  force  of  three  thousand,  is  sup- 
plied with  hospitals  and  asylums  for  infants  and 
paupers,  and  by  means  of  railroads  and  telegraph- 
lines  is  daily  facilitating  its  communication  with  the 
entire  country.  It  became  an  open  port  in  1869. 
The  second  largest  city  in  Japan  is  Osaca,  on  the 
island  of  Nipon.  It  is  both  an  open  port  and  the  one 
through  which  Miako  communicates  with  the  ocean, 
from  which  it  is  distant  thirty-three  miles.  Its  canals 
and  bridges  are  very  numerous,  the  latter  often  very 
handsome.  It  has  an  extensive  trade  and  is  well 
fortified. 

The  next  city  in  size'  is  Yokohama,  and  is  the 
successful  rival  of  an  older  place  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  known  as  Kanagawa.  It  is  on  the  Bay  of 
Yedo,  twenty  miles  from  the  capital,  and  within  the  last 
few  years  has  become  the  most  important  seaport  in 
the  Empire.  The  harbor  is  spacious  and  secure,  and 
IS  supplied  with  commodious  piers,  the  accommoda- 
tions being  extensive,  and  the  prevailing  modes  of 
living  and  of  business  giving  to  it  the  aspect  of  a  port 


264  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

of  the  Western  World.  The  next  city  of  importance 
is  Nagasaki,  located  on  the  island. 

The  Empire  is  partitioned  into  five  kies,  or  depart- 
ments, which  surround  the  Imperial  capital,  and  eight 
dos  or  large  divisions.  The  names  of  the  former  are 
Yamaciro,  Yamato,  Kawachi,  Idume,  and  Settsu ; 
while  the  latter,  with  the  five  kies,  comprise  eighty- 
four  provinces,  and  the  names  of  the  dos  are  Tokaido, 
with  fifteen  provinces  ;  Tosando,  with  thirteen ;  Ho- 
koorokdo,  with  seven  ;  Sanindo,  with  eight ;  Sanyodo, 
with  eight ;  Nankaido,  with  six ;  Saikaido,  with  nine ; 
and  Hokaido,  with  eleven  provinces.  In  the  vicinity 
of  Saikaido  are  also  two  islands,  each  of  which  con- 
stitutes a  province.  The  divisions  which  in  this 
country  are  called  counties,  number  one  thousand 
three  hundred  and  fifteen.  In  j868  the  Empire  was 
divided  into  three  politicaLjiepar4mentv-the,Ar.st-Qf 

which    em^braced_three__foos.    viz., Sin'keo.__Qr-  the- 

western  capital ;  Tokei  or  Yedo,  the  eastern  capital, 
and  Osaka ;  the  second  consisted  of  thirty-eight  kens ; 
and  the  third  of  three  hundred  and  fifty  hans. 

Extending  from  one  extremity  of  Japan  to  the 
other,  across  all  its  prominent  islands,  are  mountains, 
many  of  them  of  volcanic  origin  and  of  great  eleva- 
tion. The  highest  of  these,  called  Fusiyaraa,  is 
about  eighty  miles  from  Yedo,  about  thirteen  thou- 
sand feet  high,  and  has  a  "summit  covered  with  per- 
petual snow.  It  is  an  extinct  volcano,  the  last  erup- 
tion having  taken  place  in  1707.  There  are  also 
thirteen  other  lofty  peaks,  bearing  the  names  of 
Tookiyama,  or  "  Moon  Mountains  ;  "  Odaki ;  Nic- 
quozan,  or  "  Sunbeam  Mountain  ; "  Omine,  or  ''Great 
Peak ; "  Sirayama,  or  ''White  Mountain  ;  "  Teteyama, 
or  "Standing  Mountain;"  Kirisima,  or  "Fog  Is- 
land;"    Asozan ;     Tsukoobayama ;     Onsendaki,    or" 


THE    EMPIRE    OF   JAPAN.  265 

"  Hot  Spring  ;  "  Asawayama  ;  Tourimiyama  :  and 
Iwakeyama.  The  most  extensive  range,  known  as  the 
Hakoni,  attains  an  elevation  of  six  thousand  feet,  and 
traverses  the  island  of  Nipon  from  east  to  west. 
There  are  many  volcanoes,  and  earthquakes  are  of 
frequent  occurrence,  but  chiefly  in  the  northeastern 
parts.  The  mountains  of  Yesso  rise  to  a  height  of 
eight  thousand  feet,  and  a  large  part  of  the  country  is 
unexplored  and  covered  with  forests.  The  rivers  of 
Japan  are  numerous,  but  short,  on  account  of  the 
mountains  which  send  the  waters  in  different  direc- 
tions. They  are  generally  shallow,  subject  to  great 
freshets  during  the  rainy  season,  and  their  mouths 
are  frequently  obstructed  by  sand-bars.  The  three 
largest  are  Torregawa,  Sinanogawa,  and  Kisogawa; 
and  next  to  these  come  Oyeegawa,  Fouzigawa,  Saka- 
gawa,  and  Okumagawa.  The  only  fresh-water  lake 
in  the  Empire  of  any  size  or  importance  is  near  the 
city  of  Miako.  It  is  ten  geographical  miles  wide 
and  thirty-five  miles  long,  and  is  called  Biwako  or 
Lake  Omi.  Small  lakes  or  ponds  abound,  and  hot 
springs  are  to  be  found  in  various  parts  of  Kiusiu. 
Its  harbor  is  very  large  and  perfectly  secure.  This 
was  the  first  port  ever  opened  to  foreigners  in  Japan, 
and  a  large  trade  has  been  carried  on  there  by  the 
merchants  of  China  and  of  Holland,  where  they  have 
for  a  long  time  been  permitted  to  locate  factories. 
The  other  principal  cities  of  Japan  are  Neigata,  an 
open  port  on  the  northeast  coast  of  Nipon  :  Kobe, 
also  an  open  port,  near  Osaca ;  Hokodat^,  the  open 
port  of  the  island  of  Yesso ;  and  Saki,  formerly  a 
place  of  importance  and  open  to  foreigners,  but  now 
holding  no  commercial  intercourse  with  the  outside 
world. 

The  climate  of  Japan  is  unequal,  but  as  a  general 


266  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

rule  the  central  and  most  densely  populated  portion  is 
mild  and  agreeable.  In  the  extreme  south,  however, 
the  heat  is  often  oppressive,  while  in  the  island  of 
Yesso  the  mercury  occasionally  sinks  far  below  zero, 
and  snow  falls  to  a  great  depth  on  the  mountains  and 
in  the  valleys.  The  sun  during  the  hottest  days  is 
much  less  debilitating  than  on  the  coast  of  China  or 
in  India,  and  as  to  the  general  conditions  of  salubrity, 
the  Empire  is  highly  favored.  The  autumn  is  a  kind 
of  second  summer,  the  months  of  October  and 
November  being  the  most  pleasant  and  genial  of  the 
entire  year,  and  amply  compensating  for  the  heat  and 
frequent  rains  of  May  and  June.  A  marked  difference 
is  said  to  exist  between  the  climates  of  the  eastern 
and  western  coasts  of  Nipon,  the  latter  being  much 
colder,  and  receiving  a  greater  fall  of  snow,  than  the 
former  ;  and  this  is  attributed  to  the  fact  that  on  the 
east  there  is  a  broad  belt  of  warm  water  flowing  con- 
stantly to  the  northeast,  while  the  Japan  sea  has  a 
cold  current  constantly  setting  toward  the  southwest 
from  the  Sea  of  Okhotsk.  The  month  of  September 
usually  brings  with  it  rough  weather,  and  those  fearful 
hurricanes  called  typhoons,  which  do  the  greatest 
damage  along  the  eastern  coast  of  the  Empire  :  and, 
as  Japan  is  a  land  of  earthquakes,  it  is  said  that  they 
have  had  a  palpable  influence  on  the  climate  of  the 
Empire. 

The  most  ancient  name  by  which  the  Empire  was 
known  was  Yamato  Zima,  meaning  "  east  of  the 
mountains."  Its  present  name  is  a  corruption  of 
Jipunquo,  which  is  of  Chinese  origin,  and  means,  as 
we  have  already  stated,  the  "  Country  at  the  Root  of 
the  Sun,"  or  the  *'  Land  of  the  Rising  Sun,"  because, 
when  so  nametl,  it  was  the  most  eastern  in  the  known 
world  ;  and  Nipon,  nov/  used  in  Oriental  countries,  i§_^ 


THE    EMPIRE    OF   JAPAN.  26/ 

the  Chin£Sg^^rnniinr-iatio«-QL±h£-^ame  name.  An- 
other name  which  is  sometimes  used  is  that  of  "The 
Country  of  Many  Islands."  The  true  origin  of  its 
people  is  lost  in  tradition  or  fable  —  it  is  claimed  that 
prior  to  the  first  Emperor  it  had  existed  2479  years  — 
but  it  dates  its  chronological  history  back  to  the  year 
6^^  before  the  Christian  era.  The  first  man  of  note  con- 
nected with  the  Empire  of  whom  any  thing  is  actually 
known  was  Zinmuor  Jimmu,  who,  after  a  career  of  con- 
quest, established  himself  at  the  foot  of  the  volcanic 
mountain  called  Keresemi,  in  the  province  of  Fuga. 
From  that  point  he  extended  his  explorations  and  sway 
through  the  entire  length  of  the  Japanese  territory, 
and  is  represented  as  civilizing  the  nation  and  reform- 
ing the  existing  laws  and  government.  The  credit  is 
also  awarded  to  him  of  having  divided  time  into 
months  and  years,  and  in  his  person  was  vested  the 
office  of  high  priest,  representative  of  Heaven,  and 
Emperor  or  Mikado.  He  established  his  capital  at 
Kasiwabara  in  Yamato,  but  the  location  of  the  capital 
was  frequently  changed  by  the  succeeding  Emperors 
to  the  various  provinces  of  Yamato,  Omi,  Setten, 
Nagato,  and  Kawadi,  and  after  1464  years  from  the 
time  of  Zinmu  it  was  fixed  at  Saikio,  or  Miako,  in  the 
province  of  Yamaciro ;  but  after  the  revolution  of 
1867  it  was  located  at  Tokci  or  Ycdo. 

The  total  number  of  Emperors,  Empresses  and  Shi- 
ogoons  who  have  reigned  over  Japan  in  an  unbroken 
line  is  one  hundred  and  twenty-six.  F^rom  the  earliest 
times  down  to  the  present  day  they  were  called  Mika- 
dos,  although  for  about  six  hundred  years  the  men  who 
actually  administered  the  Government  were  called  Shio- 
goons  or  Tycoons  ;  and  it  was  in  the  year  1867  that  the 
Mikado  or  Tenno  resumed  his  ancient  privileges.  To 
give  a  minute  account  of  all  the  rulers  of  Japan,  and 


268  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

of  the  deeds  which  characterized  their  several  reigns,  is 
quite  impossible  ;  all  that  can  be  done  in  these  pages  is 
to  pesent  a  summary  of  the  most  distinguished  persons 
of  the  Empire,  together  with  a  passing  notice  of  the 
more  important  events  with  which  their  names  are 
associated.  One  fact  which  the  reader  should  bear  in 
mind  is  this,  that  the  position  of  Emperor  of  Japan 
has  always  been  hereditary  and  his  person  venerated ; 
and  while  many  sovereigns  may  have  been  compara- 
tively powerless,  the  line  of  descent  has  been 
unbroken.  In  the  person  of  the  Mikado  Zinmu,  the 
founder  of  the  line,  vested  the  office  of  high  priest, 
representative  of  Heaven  and  Emperor,  and  hence 
the  modern  idea  of  calling  him  the  spiritual  head  of  the 
nation.  Another  important  fact  to  be  remembered  has 
reference  to  the  title  of  Shiogoon  or  Tycoon.  The 
possessors  of  this  dignity  were  merely  military  chief- 
tains who  by  intrigue  or  personal  prowess  acquired 
sway  over  the  people.  They  belonged  to  various 
families,  and  the  rivalries  which  naturally  existed 
among  them  were  the  cause  of  the  bitter  wars  which 
prevailed  in  Japan  for  hundreds  of  years.  They  never 
failed,  with  the  people,  to  respect  the  office  or  position 
of  the  hereditary  monarch,  but  while  they  wielded 
power  they  inspired  fear  rather  than  veneration. 
From  the  earliest  period  in  the  history  of  the  Empire 
mention  is  made  of  three  things  which  necessarily 
appertained  to  the  person  who  sat  upon  the  throne; 
viz.,  a  sword,  a  mirror,  and  a  ball  of  crystal.  These 
are  known  by  the  name  of  Sanjioo  no  jinji,  and  con- 
sidered as  symbols  of  the  Imperial  power.  The 
Emperor  Su-jin-tenno,  who  lived  in  b.  c.  97,  was  the 
last  ruler  of  Japan  prior  to  the  commencement  of  the 
Christian  era.  He  built  a  Sintu  temple  there,  estab- 
lished an  army  over  which  he  placed  four  generalissimos, 


THE   EMPIRE   OF  JAPAN.  269 

ordered  the  first  census  of  Nipon  and  Kiusiu,  levied 
taxes  for  the  purpose  of  building  large  ships,  ordered 
the  draining  of  lakes  for  irrigation,  and  was  the  first 
ruler  to  open  intercourse  with  Corea.  His  successor 
was  Sui-nin-tenno,  who  ascended  the  throne  in  a.  d. 
6.  He  acquired  distinction  by  abolishing  the  bar- 
barous custom  which  acquired,  that  on  the  death  of 
the  Emperor  the  Empress  and  all  her  court  should 
commit  suicide  by  hara-kiri.  Although  the  Empress 
of  Sui-nin  came  to  a  natural  death,  the  highest  of  her 
lady  attendants  killed  themselves  by  cutting  their 
throats,  and  then  the  Emperor  decreed  that  this  cus- 
tom should  also  be  abolished.  This  ruler  devoted  his 
attention  to  agriculture,  and  during  his  reign  eight 
hundred  canals  and  ponds  were  built  in  different 
parts  of  Japan  for  irrigation. 

The  next  man  of  note  was  Keko-tenno,  who  reigned 
between  the  years  71  and  130  a.  d.  After  quelling 
obstinate  rebellions  in  Kiusiu  and  the  northern  part 
of  Nipon,  he  caused  the  arable  lands  of  the  Empire 
to  be  surveyed,  and  with  a  view  of  guarding  against 
famine,  caused  the  establishment  of  granaries  in  all 
the  larger  town  of  the  Empire.  The  Emperor  Sen- 
mu-tenno  reigned  from  a.  d.  131  to  190,  creating  the 
oflfice  of  daijin,  the  second  position  of  honor  and 
power  in  the  realm ;  and  the  first  dignitary  of  that 
rank  who  ever  left  Japan  as  an  embassador  was  Tom- 
omi  Iwakura,  who  visited  America  and  Europe  in  the 
year  1872. 

Among  the  men  who  distinguished  themselves 
during  the  reign  of  Senmu  was  Yamato  Daki ;  he 
held  the  office  of  commander-in-chief  of  the  army,  and 
was  called  the  "Prince  of  warriors."  His  conquests 
extended  as  far  as  the  island  of  Yesso ;  and  because 
his  wife  Adzuma  threw  herself  into  the  sea  to  appease 


2/0  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

a  terrible  storm,  her  name  was  given  to  the  region  of 
country  which  her  husband  had  subdued.  Chinai- 
tenno,  who  was  the  son  of  Yamato  Daki,  reigned  for 
eight  years,  from  a.  d.  191  to  200,  and  the  principal 
fact  recorded  of  him  was  that  he  died  from  disap- 
pointment caused  by  being  defeated  in  an  expedition 
conducted  by  himself  in  person  against  the  rebellion 
of  a  tributary  prince  of  the  Empire,  named  Kumaoso 
of  Kiusiu. 

The  next  ruler  of  Japan  was  an  Empress,  Jingu 
Kogu,  the  wife  of  Chinai-tenno.  She  accompanied 
her  husband  in  his  unsuccessful  expedition,  and  after 
his  death  assumed  the  reins  of  power.  She  distin- 
guished herself  by  leading  an  invading  army  against 
the  kingdom  of  Corea,  compelling  the  inhabitants 
to  give  up  their  treasures  and  to  promise  an  annual 
tribute  to  Japan.  She  had  several  children,  one  of 
whom  became  a  very  distinguished  Emperor.  Her 
various  conquests  gave  her  a  fame  which  surpassed 
all  her  predecessors,  and  her  life  and  deeds  of  hero- 
ism are  widely  commemorated  by  the  painters  of 
Japan  and  in  the  popular  literature  of  the  country. 
Osin-tenno,  the  son  of  Jingu  Kogu,  ascended  the 
throne  in  a.  d.  270,  and  reigned  about  forty-three 
years.  Although  not  born  when  his  mother  con- 
quered Corea,  the  honor  of  that  conquest  has  been 
given  to  him.  In  the  second  year  of  his  reign  the 
islands  of  Yesso  and  Saghalien  voluntarily  submitted 
to  his  rule,  and  three  of  the  kingdoms  of  Corea  con- 
tinued to  pay  him  an  annual  tribute.  In  283  he 
brought  a  woman  from  Corea  to  teach  his  people  the 
art  of  working  in  silk  ;  in  284  an  improved  breed  of 
horses  was  also  introduced  from  the  same  country ; 
in  285  a  philosopher  from  China,  named  Wonin, 
introduced  Chinese  letters  into  Japan,   from  which 


THE   EMPIRE   OF  JAPAN.  2/1 

time  the  works  of  Confucius  became  generally 
known  ;  and  in  300,  from  the  wood  of  an  old  war- 
vessel,  a  musical  instrument  called  the  koto  was  made 
and  has  been  in  use  down  to  the  present  time.  In 
306,  Osin  sent  an  embassy  to  China  for  the  purpose 
of  obtaining  further  information  in  regard  to  the 
production  and  the  manufacture  of  silk.  It  is  related 
of  this  Emperor  that,  having  been  advised  by  the 
brother  of  his  prime  minister  that  the  latter  was 
conspiring  against  the  throne,  he  caused  them  both 
to  plunge  their  arms  into  boiling  water,  when,  the 
ordeal  proving  favorable  to  the  minister,  the  informer 
was  executed.  After  his  death  the  largest  temples 
were  erected  to  his  memory,  and  he  received  the  title 
of  hatchimangy  or  the  "god  of  war,"  and  his  reign 
has  always  been  looked  upon  with  national  pride  by 
the  Japanese. 

The  next  man  of  note  was  Jintoku-tenno.  During 
his  reign  (313-399)  extensive  inundations  led  to  the 
construction  of  dikes  along  the  rivers,  and  rice-houses 
and  mills  for  cleaning  rice  were  for  the  first  time 
built.  He  also  sent  an  expedition  to  put  down  a 
rebellion  in  the  island  of  Yesso.  Lichu-tenno  came 
to  the  throne  in  400,  and  was  the  first  to  provide  for 
the  writing  of  a  history  of  the  Empire,  for  which  duty 
he  appointed  two  scholars  ;  and  under  the  patronage 
of  Yuriyaku-tenno  (479)  mulberry-trees  were  planted 
throughout  the  Empire,  and  special  attention  was 
first  given  to  the  manufacture  of  silk.  About  this 
time  also  skilful  carpenters  were  induced  to  emigrate 
from  Corea,  and  an  embassy  was  sent  to  that  country 
to  make  certain  collections  of  Chinese  literature. 

The  first  event  of  importance  connected  with  the 
era  beginning  with  the  year  500,  was  the  introduc- 
tion of  the  Buddhist  religion  into  Japan,  which  was 


2/2  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

destined  to  take  the  place,  to  a  great  extent,  of  the 
Sintu  religion  and  the  moral  instructions  of  Confu- 
cius. This  occurred  in  552,  when  an  embassy  was 
sent  over  from  Corea,  and  presented  to  the  Japanese 
Emperor  a  collection  of  books,  accompanied  by  an 
image  of  Buddha  Sakya,  the  leading  idea  of  the 
books  being  that  a  pure  life  was  desirable,  and  that 
it  could  only  be  secured  through  self-denial. 

One  of  the  most  active  converts  to  the  new  religion 
was  Moumaya-do-no-wosi,  son  of  the  Emperor  Naka- 
tomi ;  he  was  a  gentle  character  and  devoted  to  the 
new  faith,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  there  were 
forty-six  Buddhist  temples,  eight  hundred  and  sixteen 
priests,  and  five  hundred  and  sixty-nine  religieuses 
in  the  Empire.  The  introduction  of  Buddhism 
through  China  and  Corea  brought  with  it  some  of 
the  customs  of  those  countries — the  use  of  the 
Jieitgo,  or  year-name,  for  marking  events  and  dates, 
and  also  abdication  by  the  Emperors  after  very  short 
reigns,  which  was  followed  by  the  elevation  of  mere 
children,  whereby  the  sovereignty  was  for  a  time 
reduced  to  a  name,  and  the  power  of  the  nation 
given  into  the  hands  of  the  ministers.  Among  these 
child-rulers  were  the  Empress  Seiwa,  who  began  her 
reign  at  the  age  of  nine  ;  the  Emperors  Yozei,  at 
eight ;  Daigo,  at  thirteen ;  Reizan,  at  eighteen ; 
Yenwou,  at  eleven  ;  Goitsi,  at  nine  ;  Konye,  at  three  ; 
and  Rokusio,  at  two  years  of  age.  About  this  time 
a  man  named  Nakatomi-Kamatari-ko  obtained  great 
influence,  and  is  still  remembered  as  the  founder  of 
the  laws  of  Japan.  In  the  middle  of  the  seventh 
century  Ten-si,  a  real  emperor,  ascended  the  throne, 
and  distinguished  himself  in  warlike  exploits  against 
Corea  and  Tartary,  and  then  it  was  that  Yesso  was 
subjugated.     In  794,  the  general  government  having 


THE    EMPIRE    OF  JAPAN.  2/3 

been  divided  into  eight  boards  after  the  manner  of 
the  Chinese,  the  central  power  of  the  Empire  was 
fixed  at  Miako;  and  about  this  time  was  published 
the  Rits  Rio,  a  code  of  laws  which  are  partly  in 
force  at  the  present  time.  Another  notable  event 
of  this  period  was  the  introduction  of  an  alphabet, 
called  the  Hira  Kana,  to  facilitate  the  reading  of 
Chinese,  the  name  of  the  scholar  and  venerated  man 
who  brought  about  this  change  being  Kobo-dai-si. 
It  now  became  a  custom  with  the  Emperors  on 
abdicating  the  throne  to  adopt  the  garb  and  religious 
life  of  the  Buddhist  priests,  which  did  much  to 
perpetuate  the  prevailing  religion.  During  the  reign 
of  the  Emperor  Itsisio  (987  1012)  two  terrible  plagues 
visited  the  Empire.  His  successor,  Go-ri-sen,  became 
famous  for  his  heroism  in  putting  down  a  rebellion  in 
the  northern  part  of  Nipon. 

The  500  years  which  followed  A.  d.  icxx),  and  now 
come  under  consideration,  are  of  greater  importance 
than  the  preceding  era,  and  may  be  written  in  the 
successive  rise  to  power  of  individuals  connected  with 
the  peerage  of  the  realm,  and  especially  the  families 
of  Fusiwara,  Sungawara,  Minnamoto,  Tatchibanna, 
and  other  names  regarded  as  illustrious  and  held  in 
veneration  to  the  present  day.  Among  these  may  be 
mentioned  Ten-mang,  the  greatest  literary  character 
of  his  country  and  an  able  man,  who  through  a  rival 
was  banished  to  the  island  of  Kiusiu,  where  he  was 
starved  to  death,  and  to  whose  memory  many  splendid 
temples  were  subsequently  erected  in  Miako  and 
Yedo.  Another  famous  personage  was  Yoshi-iye, 
who,  as  commander-in-chief,  subdued  the  rebellious 
provinces  of  Mootz  and  Kwanto,  and  because  of  his 
bravery  and  other  qualifications,  was  called  "the  eldest 
son  of  the  god  of  war ;"  and  still  another  celebrity 


2/4  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

was  Kio  Mori,  descended  from  the  Emperor  Kwan-mii, 
who  was  a  prominent  actor  in  the  affairs  of  the  nation, 
and  is  remembered  as  the  ablest  and  most  unscrupu- 
lous minister  of  his  time,  when  the  whole  Empire  was 
devastated  by  war,  but  who  at  the  age  of  fifty-one 
shaved  his  head  and  nominally  became  a  priest.  One 
of  his  daughters  became  an  empress,  and  a  grandson 
an  emperor. 

The  opening  of  the  twelfth  century  was  marked  by 
many  deeds  of  rare  valor  and  of  cruelty,  and  the  con- 
flicts between  rival  families  were  continuous  and  des- 
perate. In  1 164  the  ex-Emperor  Sho-toku  was  ban- 
ished to  the  province  of  Sanuki,  where  he  wrote  a 
letter  to  the  reigning  Emperor  on  a  piece  of  his  shirt 
with  his  blood,  and  then  died  of  starvation.  In  11 70 
Tame-tomo  became  famous  for  his  power  in  drawing 
the  bow  and  as  a  rover  on  the  South  seas,  and 
because  he  was  the  original  occupier  of  the  Liookioo 
or  Loochoo  islands,  came  to  be  considered  as  a  sacred 
personage.  The  most  famous  Emperor  who  reigned 
during  this  exciting  period  was  Gozira-kawa,  who  died 
in  1 192,  at  the  age  of  sixty-seven.  He  had  taken  an 
active  part  in  the  working  of  the  Government  for 
forty  years,  and  after  abdicating  the  throne  witnessed 
a  part  of  the  reigns  of  five  emperors,  his  sons  and 
grandsons,  and  finally  died  in  tranquility.  Two  men 
who  are  generally  regarded  as  among  tbe  greatest  of 
their  era  were  Yoritomo  and  Yoshitzun6.  They 
were  brothers,  both  attained  the  position  of  Shiogoon, 
and  were  desperate  in  their  rivalry  to  each  other. 
The  first  is  generally  regarded  as  the  greatest  hero  in 
Japanese  history,  and  the  first  Shiogoon  of  the  dynasty 
which  ended  in  1867.  He  died  in  1199,  at  the  age  of 
fifty-three,  from  the  effects  of  a  fall  from  his  horse. 
The  second  man  just  named  is  looked  upon  as  the 


THE   EMPIRE   OF  JAPAN.  2/5 

mirror  of  chivalry,  and  his  conduct  is  held  up  for  the 
imitation  of  the  youth  of  his  country.     The  former 
conspired   to  take  the   life  of  the   latter,  and  when 
reduced  to  an  extremity  destroyed  himself  after  killing 
his  wife  and  children.     During  the  twelfth  and  thir- 
teenth centuries  the  Empire  of  Japan  was  almost  con- 
tinually engaged  in  intestine  wars  ;   severe  contests 
occurred   between  the  Shiogoons  of   the   north   and 
south ;  and  among  the   families  which   now  rose   to 
power  were  Hojio,  Ashikanga,  Nitta,  Hossokawa,  and 
others  who  occupied  prominent  positions,  and  it  was 
during  the  period  in  which  they  lived  that  the  follow- 
ing events  occurred  :   In    1260  the  Nitsiren  sect  of 
Buddhists   was   introduced,  and   it   was   one   of  the 
saints    connected   with    this   order,   named   Saysho- 
gosama,  who  subsequently  became  famous  as  a  perse- 
cutor of  Christians.     In  1276  Corea  became  tributary 
to  Japan,  and  an  embassy  was  sent   from  China  to 
obtain  tribute  money  from  the  Chinese.     In  1281  the 
Chinese  despatched  a  naval  expedition,  with  embassa- 
dors, to  Japan,  when  thirty  thousand  of  the  invaders 
were  taken  prisoners  and  killed,  and  one  of  the  ambas- 
sadors was  beheaded.     In   1321  the  office  known  as 
the  Kirokusho,  or  "  recorder  of  facts,"  was  established 
at  Miako,  and  twenty  years  afterwards  an  influential 
minister  published  a  work  called  The  Red  Book  of  the 
Court  of  Miako.     About  the  year  1 367  there  was  an 
extensive  war  on  the  island  of  Kiusiu,  when  the 
Satsuma  family  largely  increased  its  power  at  the  ex- 
pense of   Kikootchi.     In  that   year  also  Ashikanga, 
when  ten  years  of  age,  was  appointed  Shiogoon ;  he 
died  in  1408.     He  was  a  man  of  great   ability  and 
influence,  was  styled  by  the  Chinese  Nippon-wo,  or 
king  of  Japan,  and  from  the  reigning  Emperor  received 
the  title  of  Kubosama,  having  been  the  first  person 


2/6  LEADING  -MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

thus  honored.  The  office  of  Shiogoon  became  heredi- 
tary in  his  family,  and  the  seat  of  their  power  was 
Kamakura.  In  141 5  an  arbitrary  law  was  passed  by 
which  all  mercantile  engagements  were  at  once  ended 
and  all  debts  cancelled,  which  was  the  cause  of  much 
trouble  and  anxiety  among  the  people.  In  1466  com- 
menced the  war  known  in  history  as  the  "  Onin," 
which  lasted  more  than  ten  years,  and  was  followed 
by  a  famine  in  1472,  and  an  earthquake  in  1475 
destroyed  a  large  part  of  the  city  of  Osaka.  A  severe 
drought  occurred  in  1496,  which  was  succeeded  by 
another  famine  and  a  destructive  disease  among  the 
forest  trees. 

From  this  time  fofward  the  leading  events  in 
Japanese  history  multiplied  with  increased  rapidity, 
and  hence,  for  the  sake  of  convenience,  we  shall 
divide  the  remainder  of  our  chronological  record  into 
centuries.  The  sixteenth  century  brought  no  cessa- 
tion from  intestine  war  and  assassination.  The  year 
1 5 10  was  signalized  by  the  fact  that  Nango,  a  servant 
and  relative  of  the  minister  at  Kamakura,  Ooyay 
Soongi,  rebelled  against  his  master,  and  took  posses- 
sion of  his  castle  and  territory  in  the  province  of 
Etsingo,  and  became  a  man  of  great  power.  In  1521, 
for  the  first  time  in  many  years,  the  Emperor  made  his 
appearance  in  public,  and  his  court  became  impover- 
ished. This  condition  of  affairs  lasted  for  .at  least  fif- 
teen years,  when  the  Emperor  Go  Tsutchi  died  in 
such  poverty  that  his  body  lay  unburied  for  several 
days  for  want  of  money.  Two  years  afterwards  an 
attempt  was  made  to  trade  with  China,  but  it  was 
unsuccessful,  because  the  Chinese  coasts  were  infested 
with  Japanese  pirates.  In  November,  1533,  there 
was  observed  an  extraordinary  number  of  falling 
stars,   and   in   the   following   year   the    country  was 


THE    EMPIRE    OF   JAPAN.  2// 

visited  by  a  fatal  epidemic.  Three  years  afterwards 
there  was  a  bitter  quarrel  between  different  sects  of 
the  Buddhist  priests,  one  of  the  results  of  which  was 
the  burning  of  one  half  of  the  city  of  Miako.  In  1541, 
according  to  the  best  authorities,  Antony  Mora, 
Francis  Zaimor,  and  Anthony  Pexot,  three  Portuguese 
merchants,  in  their  voyage  from  Siam  to  China,  were 
wrecked  upon  the  coast  of  Kiusiu,  and  the  firearms 
which  they  had  with  them  caused  a  profound  sensa- 
tion throughout  the  Empire,  and  the  fact  was  noted 
in  the  national  calendars.  In  1543  the  Portuguese 
merchants  came  back  again,  bringing  with  them 
Jesuit  missionaries,  and  from  that  time  the  history  of 
the  Empire  was  chronicled  in  the  literature  of  Europe. 
Francis  Xavier  visited  the  country  in  1 549,  and  after 
remaining  there  two  years  left  it,  disheartened  with 
the  realities  of  missionary  work. 

About  1557  the  military  chieftain  named  Nobu 
Nanga  made  his  appearance  on  the  stage  of  public 
affairs,  and  for  more  than  twenty  years  was  the  mas- 
ter-spirit of  the  Empire,  wielding  the  power  of  a  Shio- 
goon.  He  was  descended  from  Kio-Mori,  and  his 
rule  was  quite  as  grasping  and  severe  as  that  of  any 
of  his  predecessors.  In  1557  he  put  to  death,  for 
private  reasons,  his  youngest  brother,  and  seven  years 
afterwards  he  killed  his  father-in-law,  the  lord  of  Mino, 
and  took  all  his  possessions.  He  began  in  1569  a 
crusade  against  the  Buddhists,  and  in  a  few  years 
succeeded  in  destroying  a  large  number  of  their  tem- 
ples and  massacred  many  of  their  priests ;  at  the 
same  time,  for  selfish  purposes,  he  encouraged  the 
Jesuits.  In  1572  he  had  a  difficulty  with  the  Shio- 
goon,  Yoshi-aki,  whom  he  arrested  and  put  in  prison, 
thus  bringing  to  an  end  the  real  power  of  the  Ashi- 
kanga  family.     He  had  many  able  generals  in  league 


2/8  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

with   him,    the   three   most   famous   of  whom   were 
Hideyoshi,    Akitchi-mitsu-hide,   and   lyeyas.     Under 
his   encouragement    the    Jesuits   rose   to   favor   and 
power  at  court,  and  in  1581  they  claimed  to  have  in 
Japan  two  hundred  churches  and  not  less  than  one 
hundred   and   fiffty   thousand   Christians.       He   was 
reputed  a  brave,  ambitious,  and  able  man,  and  not 
without  many  moral  virtues,  and  he  laughed  at  the 
worship  of  the  gods  and  considered   the  bonzes  as 
impostors.     In  1582  he  was  gradually  overrunning  all 
Japan,  and  was  liberal  in  giving  to  his  kindred  the 
property  he  had  acquired  by  conquest.     He  built  a 
temple  in  which  he  collected  idols  of  all  the  gods  of 
Japan,  and  placing  in  the  midst  of  it  a  statue  of  him- 
self called  Xanthi,  or  "  supreme  ruler,"  he  issued  an 
edict  commanding  all  men  to  worship  that  image  and 
no  other.     The  first  to  obey  this  order  was  his  eldest 
son,  and  the  example  was  followed  by  the  gentry  and 
people  in  their  course.     His  end  was  in  keeping  with 
his   life ;    after   being   surrounded   in   his   castle   at 
Miako,  he  was  wounded  with  an  arrow,  and  then  con- 
sumed in  the  building  where  he  was  sheltered,  in  the 
forty-ninth  year  of  his  age.     When  he  died  the  tide 
of  prosperity   turned   and   ebbed   until   it   gradually 
swept  the  whole  Jesuit  priesthood  from  the  shores  of 
Japan.     The  immense  treasures  which  he  had  accu- 
mulated in  the  course  of  many  years  in  the  .city  of 
Azutchi-yama  were  given   away  and   squandered   in 
three  days  by  his  late  confederate,  Akitchi-mitsu-hide. 
After  the  death  of  Nobu  Nanga,  the  man  who  had 
once  been  his  servant,  and  afterwards  his  chief  mili- 
tary assistant,  and  who  had  acquired  a  great  reputa- 
tion as  a  leader,  became  the  military  ruler  or  Shiogoon. 
His    name,    which    was    originally    Hideyoshi,    was 
changed  a  number  of  times  until  he  became  known 


THE   EMPIRE   OF  JAPAN.  2/9 

as  Taikosama.  He  was  of  low  origin  and  insignifi- 
cant in  appearance.  His  chief  castle  was  at  Osaka, 
which  he  did  much  to  improve  by  digging  canals  and 
perfecting  its  fortifications.  He  had  six  wives.  In 
1583,  with  his  permission,  the  Jesuit  fathers  induced 
four  young  noblemen  to  visit  the  Pope  in  Rome, 
which  expedition  lasted  for  eight  years.  In  1585  he 
received  from  the  Emperor  the  family  name  of  Toyo- 
tomi.  About  that  time  he  became  an  earnest  sup- 
porter of  the  Jesuits,  although  he  would  not  accept 
their  religion  for  himself;  but  when  his  plans  had 
ripened,  and  the  Jesuits  were  confident  of  increasing 
success,  he  suddenly  gave  them  notice  to  quit  the 
country  within  twenty  days,  forbidding  them  to  preach 
their  religion  on  pain  of  death.  In  1586  he  took  for- 
cible possession  of  Nagasaki,  and  made  it  a  Govern- 
ment port  and  property,  declaring  it  to  be  the  only 
place  where  foreign  trade  should  be  permitted.  The 
threat  made  by  Taikosama  was  not  carried  out,  and 
the  Jesuits  continued  in  the  country,  and  he  was 
charged  with  changing  his  policy  because  he  desired 
to  use  their  ships  in  a  project  to  invade  Corea.  He 
led  an  army  of  three  hundred  thousand  men  against 
that  country,  one  half  of  whom  were  destroyed,  when 
embassadors  were  sent  to  Japan  and  the  following 
demands  were  made:  (i)  That  eight  provinces  of 
Corea  be  handed  over  to  Japan  ;  (2)  that  the  Em- 
peror of  China  give  one  of  his  daughters  to  Tai- 
kosama ;  (3)  that  there  should  be  free  trade  between 
the  two  countries ;  and  (4)  that  China  and  Corea 
should  pay  Japan  a  yearly  tribute.  In  1 592  and  the 
following  year  two  envoys  from  Manila  and  the 
Philippines,  were  received  by  Taikosama,  the  first  of 
which  brought  with  them  four  recollets  of  St.  Fran- 
cis to  enter  the  missionary  service.    Among  their 


28o 


LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 


presents  was  a  Spanish  horse,  whose  blood  has  proba- 
bly affected  the  breed  now  known  in  Japan.  About 
this  time  events  occurred  which  led  Taiko  to  believe 
that  his  nephew  intended  to  usurp  his  place,  where- 
upon, after  many  intrigues,  he  caused  him  to  be  put 
to  death,  as  well  as  thirty-one  women  and  children,  all 
members  of  his  family.  In  1596  a  comet  was  visible 
in  the  Empire,  and  on  its  disappearance  a  terrible 
earthquake  occurred,  which  seemed  to  prognosticate 
the  death  of  the  Shiogoon.  While  winking  at  the 
stealthy  operations  of  the  Jesuits,  he  caused  twenty- 
five  of  them  to  be  punished  by  the  death  of  the  cross. 
This  act,  as  if  in  self-defence,  he  followed  up  with  an 
order  that  all  the  Romail  Catholics  residing  in  Naga- 
saki should  be  at  once  sent  home  in  their  ships.  But 
notwhitstanding  this  hostility,  when  he  became  sick 
in  1598,  he  admitted  a  Romish  priest  to  his  bedside, 
and  then  died,  all  his  nobility,  according  to  the 
Fathers,  "  being  much  better  pleased  to  see  him  on 
the  list  of  dead  gods  than  in  the  land  of  living  men." 
In  the  annals  of  Japan  in  the  year  1599  is  given  as 
that  in  which  the  English  and  Dutch  ships  visited 
the  country,  and  they  are  said  to  have  come  to  the 
town  of  Saccai,  near  Osaka.  Dutch  pilots  had 
already  for  several  years  been'  navigating  the  sur- 
rounding seas,  and  William  Adams,  the  English  pilot 
of  the  Dutch  fleet  of  five  sail  which  left  Texel  in  June, 
1598,  did  not  reach  Boongo  until  April,  1600,  when 
his  crew  was  found  to  be  reduced  to  nine  or  ten  men. 
The  great  event  which  characterized  the  beginning 
of  the  seventeenth  century  was  the  accession  to 
power  of  lyeyas  Mikawa-no-kami.  He  was  born  of 
a  good  family,  but  had  succeeded  as  a  military  man 
by  depending  upon  himself.  At  this  period  the 
Emperor  was  a  mere  boy,  and  although  the  grandson 


THE   EMPIRE   OF  JAPAN.  28 1 

by  marriage  of  lyeyas,  that  man  claimed  and  for  a 
long  time  wielded,  the  sceptre  of  power.  As  the  friend 
of  the  regent-Emperor  quite  a  number  of  the  pro- 
vincial governors  formed  a  league  against  him  ;  and 
in  October,  1600,  near  Lake  Owomi,  a  battle  was 
fought  which  has  ever  been  considered  one  of  the 
most  important  and  decisive  connected  with  Japanese 
history,  and  lyeyas  was  the  victor.  His  opponents 
were  scattered,  and  he  became  at  once  master  of 
public  affairs.  The  most  important  of  his  many 
captives  in  the  late  battle  was  a  noted  chieftain 
named  Konishi  Setsu,  who  had  been  viceroy  of 
Kiusiu  and  commander-in-chief  both  of  the  naval  and 
military  forces  in  the  Corean  war,  who  was  beheaded. 
But,  notwithstanding  this  act  of  severity,  lyeyas 
treated  his  late  enemies  with  kindness  and  granted 
a  general  amnesty.  He  acquired  great  power,  one 
secret  of  which  seems  to  have  been  that  when  he 
once  made  a  promise  he  never  broke  it,  the  most 
perfect  reliance  being  therefore  placed  upon  his 
word. 

The  portion  of  Japan  which  held  out  the  longest 
against  the  new  conqueror  was  the  island  of  Kiusiu, 
but  its  principal  ruler,  Satsuma,  was  obliged  to  yield. 
Prior  to  the  crowning  military  achievement  of  lyeyas 
the  Imperial,  ecclesiastical  and  commercial  capitals 
of  the  Empire  had  been  Miako,  Narra,  and  Osaka ; 
but  he  removed  the  Government  to  Yedo,  which  at 
that  time  was  an  insignificant  place  with  only  one 
street,  known  then  and  now  as  Koji  Matchi.  He 
was  reputed  a  true  lover  of  his  country,  and  was 
never  accused  of  being  personally  ambitious.  He 
was  a  friend  to  all  kinds  of  internal  improvements, 
ruled  with  wisdom  and  discretion,  and  was  honored 
with  the  title  of  Sc-i-dai-Shiogoon^  or  "  tranquillizer 


282  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

of  barbarians  and  commander-in-chief."  The  most 
important  event  of  his  reign  was  the  promulgation  of 
a  code  of  laws,  one  hundred  in  number,  which  he 
bequeathed  to  his  descendants  in  power  as  a  guide 
to  them  in  the  office  he  hoped  would  be  hereditary 
in  his  family.  These  laws  have  had  a  paramount 
influence  with  the  rulers  of  Japan  ever  since  the 
death  of  lyeyas,  and  to  a  very  great  extent  his 
ambitious  hopes  have  been  realized  by  the  subsequent 
fame  and  power  of  his  immediate  family.  Between 
these  laws  and  the  writings  of  Confucius  and  Men- 
cius  the  similarity  is  manifest.  Whatever  their  in- 
trinsic merits,  it  is  certain  that  their  effect  upon  the 
nation  was  most  salutary,  for  it  was  blessed  with 
an  uninterrupted  peace  for  more  than  two  hundred 
years  after  the  death  of  lyeyas.  So  impressed  with 
this  fact  were  the  nobles  and  the  people  of  Japan 
at  a  later  day,  that  in  1806  they  inaugurated  a 
national  festival  for  the  sole  pupose  of  commemorat- 
ing this  unprecedented  fact. 
"^  For  about  twenty  years  prior  to  the  year  16 14,  the 
Jesuits  had  obtained  such  a  footing  in  Japan  that 
they  claimed  to  have  visited  the  whole  Empire,  and 
to  have  made  more  than  one  hundred  thousand  con- 
verts. Although  they  entered  the  country  as  mis- 
sionaries, they  were  subsequently  denounced  as 
preachers  of  sedition  and  organizers  of  rebellion. 
The  opposition  which  they  called  forth  soon  became 
so  bitter  that  in  1636  the  Government  issued  an 
order  that  the  image  of  the  Saviour  as  it  appeared 
on  the  copper  medals  should  be  periodically  dese- 
crated by  being  trampled  under  foot ;  and  those 
orders  remained  in  force  until  the  conclusion  of 
treaties  with  Christian  nations  in  recent  times. 
After    such    demonstrations   it   cannot   be   thought 


THE   EMPIRE   OF  JAPAN.  283 

strange  that  when  the  time  came  for  driving  the 
Jesuits  out  of  the  country  the  expulsion  should 
have  been  attended  with  many  acts  of  cruelty. 

The  first  decree  of  banishment  was  issued  by 
lyeyas  in  16 14,  but  some  fifteen  years  elapsed  before 
the  movement  was  in  any  degree  successful.  A  new 
edict  against  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  was  issued 
in  1666,  and  two  years  afterwards  an  order  was  pro- 
mulgated prohibiting  the  erection  of  Buddhist  tem- 
ples, which  has  remained  in  force  to  the  present 
time. 

In  1720  the  Buddhist  priesthood  held  a  festival 
throughout  the  Empire,  by  which  they  commemorated 
the  eleventh  centenary  of  the  establishment  of  their 
religion.^  „_,, 

In  i839-  the  Portuguese  and  Spanish  were  finally 
expelled,  but  a  single  Dutch  factory  was  permitted  to 
remain  at  the  island  of  Hirado.  In  1709  another 
attempt  was  made  to  regain  Japan  to  the  Church  of 
Rome,  but  it  was  unsuccessful.  Various  attempts  at 
long  intervals,  were  made  by  different  foreign  nations 
to  re-open  a  trade  with  the  country.  The  Dutch,  as 
well  as  the  Japanese,  bitterly  opposed  all  such  meas- 
ures —  the  former  from  cupidity,  and  the  latter  from 
a  motive  of  self-defence.  According  to  the  native 
annals,  the  coast  of  Japan  was  visited  by  foreign  ves- 
sels in  1637,  1673,  1768,  1 79 1,  1793,  1796,  1803, 
1808,  181 3,  and  1829.  American  ships  first  arrived 
at  Nagasaki  in  1846  under  Com.  Biddle,  and  Com. 
M.  E.  Perry  made  his  visit  in  1853,  made  memo- 
rable by  resulting  in  a  treaty  with  the  United 
States.  In  1854,  Sir  James  Stirling,  an  English 
admiral,  visited  Nagasaki,  and  also  concluded  a  treaty 
with  Japan  ;  and  in  1858  it  was  proclaimed  by  the 
Japanese  that  they  had  concluded  treaties  with  the 


284  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

American,  English,  Dutch,  Russian,  and  Portuguese 
nations.  The  last  of  the  Shiogoons  who  really  held 
the  reins  of  power  was  lyaymutchi  ;  he  reigned  from 
1859  to  1866,  when  he  died,  having  been  the  leading 
figure  in  the  late  Rebellion  which  resulted  in  dissolv- 
ing the  dual  government  which  had  existed  for  six 
hundred  years,  and  in  restoring  to  his  proper  position 
the  true  Emperor  of  Japan.  In  1867  an  effort  was 
made  by  Yoshi-hisa  to  be  recognized  as  the  legitimate 
successor  of  Shiogoon  lyaymutchi,  but  it  was  unsuc- 
cessful; and  before  the  close  of  that  year  the  spiritual 
Emperor,  who  had  just  found  himself  received  as  the 
true  and  only  ruler  of  the  Empire,  died  in  the  thirty- 
eighth  year  of  his  age,  and  left  upon  the  throne  his 
son,  a  boy  of  fifteen  years,  who  is  the  present  Emperor 
of  Japan. 

As  to  the  events  which  have  taken  place  in  that 
Empire  during  the  last  twenty  years,  they  resemble 
the  stories  of  romance,  and  are  among  the  marvels  of 
the  age.  Into  that  subject  we  cannot  fully  enter  at 
present,  but  the  following  particulars  may  be  men- 
tioned for  purposes  of  reference,  and  those  who  may 
desire  more  elaborate  information  will  find  it  admirably 
set  forth  in  a  volume  entitled  New  Japan^  from  the 
pen  of  an  English  diplomat,  Samuel  Mossman.  The 
treaty  with  Com.  Perry  was  ratified  in  1854,  at 
Kanagawa,  and  the  ports  of  Hakodadi  and  Simoda 
were  opened  to  foreign  commerce;  in  1855  the 
Russian  Government,  through  Admiral  Poutiatine, 
visited  Simoda  and  secured  the  ratification  of  a  treaty, 
which  fact  was  strangely  commemorated  by  the 
destruction  of  Simoda  by  an  earthquake  ;  in  1858 
treaties  were  also  concluded  by  England  and  France, 
and  the  ports  opened  to  them  were  Kanagawa,  Naga- 
saki, Hakodadi,  Hiogo,  Osaka,  and  Neigata ;  in  1859, 


THE   EMPIRE   OF   JAPAN.  28$ 

British  and  American  legations  were  established  at 
Yedo ;  in  i860,  Dutch  and  Prussian  treaties  were 
signed  at  Yedo,  and  several  assassinations  occurred 
in  that  year,  as  well  as  in  the  preceding  and  succeeding 
years;  in  1862  a  diplomatic  mission  of  about  thirty- 
five  members  was  sent  to  Europe  by  way  of  America, 
having  sailed  in  an  English  frigate  called  the  Odin^ 
and  the  envoy  was  Takeno  Votschie  Shemodze  ;  in 
1863  the  British  and  American  legation  buildings  were 
destroyed  at  Yedo,  and  a  retrograde  policy  was  inau- 
gurated by  the  Japanese  officials,  one  of  the  results  of 
whose  hostile  action  was  the  payment  of  an  indemnity 
to  America  and  the  leading  powers  of  Europe  ;  in 
1865  the  allied  envoys  received  the  consent  of  the 
Mikado  to  the  treaties;  in  1866  and  1867,  as  already 
intimated,  the  Imperial  Government  was  changed 
from  the  old  to  the  new  form  ;  in  1868  was  com- 
menced the  civil  war  in  Japan,  and  the  Mikado 
became  the  sole  monarch  ;  in  1870  the  Japanese  Gov- 
ernment resumed  with  great  ardor  its  work  of  reform, 
the  prominent  ideas  being  the  education  of  Japanese 
students  in  foreign  countries,  and  the  establishment 
of  diplomatic  relations  with  America,  England,  Russia, 
Germany,  Austria,  and  France;  and  in  1872  the 
great  embassy,  headed  by  Tomomi  Iwakura,  visited 
the  United  States  and  Europe,  the  calendar  of  the 
western  nations  was  substituted  for  that  of  old  Japan, 
and  the  Empire  found  itself  rapidly  becoming  an  im- 
portant member  of  the  family  of  nations. 

And  now  for  a  few  remarks  respecting  the  people 
of  Japan  as  they  existed  just  prior  to  their  new  birth. 
They  are  divided  into  eight  classes,  as  follows  :  the 
Koongays,  or  Mikado  nobility  ;  the  Daimios,  or  Yedo 
nobility  ;  the  Hattamotos,  or  lower  Daimios ;  the 
Hiakshos,  or  farmers  without  rank  or  title ;  the  Sho- 


286  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

konoris,  who  are  artisans ;  the  Akindos,  or  merchants ; 
the  Kiveiamonos,  or  actors  and  beggars ;  and  the 
Yaytas,  who  are  turners,  shoemakers,  and  manufac- 
turers or  dealers  in  leather.  In  the  Island  of  Yesso 
are  to  be  found  a  people  called  Ainos,  who  closely 
resemble  che  Indians  of  North  America.  The  relig- 
ions of  the  Empire  are  two;  Sintuism  and  Buddhism, 
while  the  higher  classes  seem  to  be  partial  to  the 
moral  teachings  of  Confucius.  The  Japanese  lan- 
guage is  one  of  letters,  and  not  of  characters,  like  the 
Chinese  ;  but  because  of  the  very  frequent  use  of  the 
latter  by  people  in  every  sphere,  a  great  many  difficul- 
ties arise  both  in  speaking  and  writing.  The  litera- 
ture of  the  country  is*  quite  extensive,  cheap  books 
and  instructive  art-productions  are  always  in  great 
demand,  and  a  very  large  proportion  of  the  people  are 
able  to  read  and  write,  and  a  love  of  drawing  and 
painting  is  very  common.  The  food  upon  which 
they  subsist  is  rice,  the  chief  production  fish  and  a 
great  variety  of  vegetables  ;  and  among  their  leading 
productions  may  be  mentioned  silk,  tea,  cotton,  hemp, 
salt,  gold,  silver,  iron,  copper,  coal,  and  lead.  Opium, 
which  is  the  bane  of  China,  they  do  not  use,  but  they 
substitute  for  it  a  good  quality  of  tobacco,  which 
they  grow  and  manufacture  in  large  quantities. 
Their  fruits  are  numerous,  and  their  knowledge  of 
horticulture  and  the  secrets  of  the  soil  is  so  extensive 
that  many  of  the  Japanese  in  this  country  have 
looked  upon  the  agricultural  mission  of  Mr.  Horace 
Capron,  who  was  invited  to  teach  them  the  science  of 
agriculture,  as  a  most  useless  enterprise.  Their  skill 
in  manufacturing  is  of  the  highest  order,  and  when 
they  shall  have  learned  the  importance  of  increasing 
the  number  of  useful  articles  in  every  department  of 
labor  under  the  influence  of  modern  improvements,  it  is 


THE    EMPIRE    OF  JAPAN.  28/ 

likely  they  will  hardly  be  equalled  by  any  of  the  nations 
of  the  world.  It  has  already  passed  into  history  that 
their  display  at  the  great  Vienna  Exposition  was  won- 
derful, and  superior  to  that  of  any  of  the  Asiatic  nations. 
One  of  the  most  striking  illustrations  of  intellectual 
activity  among  the  Japanese  is  found  in  the  use  they 
are  making  of  the  press  ;  books  and  newspapers,  both 
in  the  Japanese  and  English  languages,  are  multiply- 
ing every  day,  and  are  universally  becoming  modelled 
upon  the  literary  plans  of  the  Western  nations.  In 
speaking  of  the  press  of  Japan,  one  of  the  Yokohama 
papers  lately  made  this  remark  :  "  It  is  now  but  three 
or  four  years  since  the  press  sprang  into  existence  in 
Japan,  yet  it  is  already  being  used  for  the  serious 
discussion  of  weighty  questions,  and  certainly  by  its 
vigor  and  earnestness,  its  candor,  fearlessness  and 
courtesy,  puts  to  shame  a  large  section  of  the  local 
European  press,  which  seems  only  to  exist  to  prove 
how  little  salt  is  worth  which  has  lost  its  savor."  In 
literature  and  religion,  in  commerce  and  education, 
very  great  changes  have  taken  place  within  the  last 
four  years  ;  and  from  a  chart  of  Japan,  recently  pub- 
lished by  authority,  we  gather  the  following  items  of 
information : 

"The  total  number  of  temples  in  the  Empire  devoted 
to  the  Sintu  religion  was  ninety-seven,  of  which 
thirty-five  were  supported  by  the  general  Government, 
and  the  rest  by  the  provincial  authorities ;  the  Budd- 
hists temples  numbered  two  hundred  and  ninety-six 
thousand  nine  hundred,  to  which  were  attached 
268,654  priests,  divided  into  elevea  sects  ;  but  all  this 
religious  machinery  has  since  been  abolished  by  Impe- 
rial decree ;  the  population  of  the  metropolis  of  Ycdo 
had  been  reduced  to  1,194,390;  the  two  colleges  in 
that    city   contained   five    hundred    and    sixty-three 


288  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

pupils,  but  have  greatly  increased  since  1872;  there 
were  also  thirteen  hospitals  and  almshouses ;  the 
Imperial  army  consisted  of  seven  battalions  of  infan- 
try, four  of  artillery,  and  two  companies  of  cavalry; 
regular  army,  twenty  battalions  of  infantry :  cadets 
in  military  schools,  seven  hundred  and  twenty- 
six  ;  ships  of  war  sixteen,  including  one  iron-clad, 
officered  by  one  thousand  three  hundred  and  seven 
men  ;  steamships,  sixty -nine,  including  twenty- two 
iron  ships,  and  the  large  sailing  vessels  numbered 
eighteen ;  lighthouses,  sixteen ;  dockyards,  two,  at 
Yokohama  and  Nagasaki ;  mines  worked  by  Govern- 
ment, three ;  it  was  also  stated  that  manufacturing 
estabhshments  were  on 'the  increase  in  Yedo,  Yoko- 
hama, and  Hiogo,  and  two  railroads  between  Yedo  and 
Yokohama,  and  between  Osaka  and  Kobi,  were  both  in 
partial  operation.  The  working  Government  of  Japan, 
as  now  organized  under  the  supreme  control  of  the 
Emperor,  is  divided  into  ten  departments  :  executive, 
with  two  hundred  and  thirty-seven  officials ;  public 
works,  three  hundred  and  seventy-five  ;  department  of 
religion,  one  hundred  and  thirty-eight ;  judicial 
department,  one  hundred  and  sixty-nine ;  foreign 
affairs,  one  hundred  and  sixteen ;  treasury  depart- 
ment, five  hundred  and  thirty-nine ;  agricultural 
department,  one  hundred  and  ninety-two  ;  war  and 
navy  departments,  eight  hundred  and  ninety-one ; 
educational  department,  two  hundred  and  twenty-one  ; 
and  the  Imperial  court  consists  of  two  hundred  and 
forty  officials.  The  name  of  the  reigning  Emperor 
or  Mikado  is  Mutsuhito,  born  in  1852,  and  recog- 
nized as  heir  in  i860,  and  he  came  to  the  throne  in 
1867.  He  is  married,  the  Empress  being  his  senior 
by  two  years.  His  six  uncles  and  great-uncles  (one 
of  whom  was  recently  in  Prussia  and  another  in  Eng- 


THE    EMPIRE    OF   JAPAN.  289 

land),  and  sister  in  Yedo,  also  three  brothers  (one  of 
whom  has  been  a  student  at  Annapolis),  with  an  aunt 
in  Yedo,  constitute  the  royal  family  of  Japan. 

The  thinking  men  of  Japan  now  claim  —  and  the 
facts  support  them  in  their  views  —  that  the  revolu- 
tion of  progress  now  going  on  is  needed,  stands  upon 
a  firm  foundation,  and  will  be  triumphant.  All  the 
officials  and  the  higher  classes,  and  a  large  propor- 
tion of  the  masses,  are  anxious  to  throw  aside  every 
impediment  calculated  to  retard  their  progress  in  the 
career  upon  which  they  have  entered.  They  would 
be  loyal  to  the  Mikado  and  the  Empire,  but  they  want 
more  civil  if  not  religious  liberty  than  they  have 
hitherto  enjoyed,  protection  in  their  commercial 
interests  and  all  the  advantages  resulting  from  a 
high  order  of  education.  That  they  are  thoroughly 
in  earnest  is  proven  most  conclusively  by  the  truly 
wonderful  changes  that  they  themselves  have  carried 
out  during  the  last  twenty  years. 

The  barriers  of  exclusiveness  have  been  removed, 
and  many  seaports,  as  already  stated,  opened  to  the 
trade  of  foreign  countries  ;  the  Imperial  ruler  has 
thrown  aside  all  the  mystery  and  seclusion  which 
have  been  held  sacred  for  a  thousand  years,  and  with 
his  dynasty  has  entered  the  comity  of  nations  ;  the 
feudal  system  has  given  place  to  a  Government 
allied  in  character  to  the  enlightened  nations  of 
the  earth,  and  the  Daimios  have  given  up  their  estates 
for  the  benefit  of  the  whole  country  ;  foreigners  who 
were  treated  as  enemies,  are  now  welcomed  as  friends  ; 
customs  like  those  of  wearing  two  swords  and  com- 
mitting enforced  suicide  have  been  abolished  ;  money 
has  been  liberally  expended  by  the  central  Govern- 
ment in  sending  its  youth  to  be  educated  in  foreign 
lands  ;  schools,  seminaries  of  learning,  scientific  and 


290  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

benevolent  institutions,  all  founded  upon  the  models 
of  the  Western  nations,  have  been  established,  and 
are  daily  becoming  grounded  in  the  elements  of 
prosperity ;  a  free  press,  as  we  have  seen,  has  been 
established  and  is  respected  ;  also  a  new  postal  sys- 
tem ;  the  sea  and  land  forces  have  been  re-organized, 
and  placed  upon  a  basis  of  such  stability  as  to  make 
Japan  the  most  invulnerable  nation  in  the  Orient ; 
all  the  modern  helps  to  a  safe  navigation  of  the 
extensive  coasts  of  the  Empire  have  been  introduced ; 
the  old  Japanese  calendar  has  been  superseded  by 
that  of  the  Western  nations  excepting  Russia ;  tal- 
ented men  in  literature  and  science  and  diplomacy 
have  been  invited  to  take  office  in  the  Empire  for  the 
benefit  of  their  experience  ;  a  gold  and  silver  cur- 
rency similar  to  that  of  the  United  States  has  been 
established  ;  a  system  of  railroads  has  been  organ- 
ized and  partly  completed,  which  has  already  added 
wonderful  facilities  to  travel  and  commerce ;  and  by 
a  line  of  telegraph  news  may  now  be  transmitted 
from  Yedo  to  London  in  less  than  fifty  hours. 

Such  are  some  of  the  marvels  that  have  actually 
been  accomplished,  and  they  surely  prove  that  the 
Japanese  are  not  only  in  earnest  in  all  that  they 
are  doing,  but  that  their  genius  for  going  ahead  is 
allied  to  that  of  the  "universal  Yankee  nation." 
What  they  have  accomplished  in  less  than  one  gen- 
eration has  not  in  any  part  of  Europe  been  secured 
in  less  than  a  century. 

But  there  is  another  wonder  connected  with  this 
great  Japanese  revolution ;  which  is,  that  the  nation 
is  marching  upward  and  onward  without  casting  a 
thought  upon  what  the  great  empires  of  India  and 
China  may  think  or  desire.  The  nation,  Hke  the 
individuals    who   have    come   to   the   front,    is   fear- 


THE   EMPIRE    OF   JAPAN.  29I 

less,    proud,     delicately    strung,    and     independent. 

Where  can  be  found  a  better  illustration  of  lofty 
courage  than  was  presented  by  Japan  in  her  re- 
cent difficulty  with  China  about  Formosa.?  She 
felt  that  she  had  justice  on  her  side,  and  looking 
upon  the  thirty-five  million  of  her  united  and  loyal 
people  with  perfect  confidence,  she  said,  "The  five 
hundred  million  of  China  shall  not  frighten  us  from 
the  path  of  duty  and  right."  China  did  the  proper 
thing  in  submitting,  and  ought  to  be  applauded  for 
her  course ;  but  when  the  subject  of  indemnity 
came  up,  Japan  (unlike  certain  so-called  civilized 
nations),  true  to  her  lofty  instincts,  asked  only  that 
the  necessary  expenses  should  be  paid,  and  scorned 
to  manifest  a  grasping  love  of  gain. 

The  only  great  questions  connected  with  the  pros- 
perity of  Japan  which  are  not  yet  settled,  are  those 
having  reference  to  taxation  and  revenue,  and  the 
opening  of  the  entire  country  to  foreigners  and  to 
religion.  The  difficulties  attending  each  of  them  can- 
not be  fully  understood  by  people  in  other  countries ; 
and  yet  there  is  nothing  singular  about  them,  if  we 
remember  that  even  in  the  United  States  we  have 
never  been  free  from  some  sort  of  excitement  growing 
out  of  these  identical  questions.  Good  men  and  true 
are  to-day  working  hard  in  Japan  to  perfect  a  system 
of  taxation  and  revenue  which  will  help  the  public 
purse  and  make  the  financial  resources  of  the  Empire 
equal  to  its  natural  progress  ;  when  the  European 
powers,  headed  by  England,  shall  stop  their  domineer- 
ing demands  to  have  the  Empire  thrown  open  at  all 
hazards,  then  perhaps  the  Imperial  Government  may 
listen  to  reasonable  appeals ;  and  when  the  Japanese 
are  convinced  that  religious  fanaticism  is  a  blessing, 
even  in  such  countries  as  P^ngland  and  America,  and 


292  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

that  by  giving  the  largest  Hberty  they  will  not  be 
made  wretched  by  the  intrigues  of  the  Romish 
Church,  then  they  may  consider  the  policy  of  opening 
wide  the  gates  to  all  denominations  of  Christians. 

With  regard  to  the  question  of  allowing  foreigners 
to  trade  in  all  parts  of  the  interior  of  Japan,  a  leading 
Japanese  newspaper  of  Yedo  recently  made  this 
remark  :  "The  chief  reasons  why  this  measure  cannot 
be  carried  out  to-day  are  —  firstly,  that  we  cannot 
make  foreigners  submit  to  our  laws;  secondly,  that 
the  Japanese  Government  is  unable  to  alter  the  tariff 
by  its  sole  authority  ;  and,  thirdly,  that  we  cannot 
make  them  obey  the  regulations  agreed  to  by  the 
localities." 

Of  the  signboards  proscribing  Christianity  which 
were  formerly  seen  in  Yedo,  there  is  not  one  remain- 
ing at  this  day.  But  the  fact  is,  that  in  Yedo  and 
other  large  towns  there  are  ministers  of  the  gospel 
representing  a  number  of  sects  who  hold  religious 
meetings  regularly,  and  whose  teachings  are  thank- 
fully received  by  many  of  the  native  inhabitants. 
The  prevailing  sentiment  towards  the  missionaries 
seems  to  be — "We  have  no  objection  to  your 
instructing  those  who  come  to  you  for  information,  but 
we  must  not  have  any  compulsory  appeals  ; "  and  so  we 
perceive  that  the  hostility  to  the  Christian  religion  is 
not  by  any  means  as  active  as  it  was  in  former  years. 
Indeed,  there  is  much  talk  among  the  Japanese  about 
organizing  a  "new  religion,"  which  would  of  course 
be  a  long  step  towards  recognizing  Christianity  in  all 
its  borders. 

And  now  for  a  few  words  upon  the  prominent  char- 
acteristics of  the  Japanese.  They  do  not  bestow  the 
same  honor  upon  women  that  is  theoretically  shown 
by  the  Western  nations,  but  in  that  particular  they 


THE    EMPIRE    OF   JAPAN.  293 

are  in  advance  of  the  other  Asiatic  nations.  As 
already  stated,  several  of  their  rulers  have  been 
females  —  nine  out  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-six, 
and  one  of  them  was  the  conqueror  of  Corea — and 
to-day,  let  any  woman  manifest  a  superior  mind  and 
she  will  command  ':he  highest  respect  of  her  associ- 
ates. Much  has  rlready  been  done  to  emancipate 
woman  from  her  former  degraded  condition,  and  the 
last  two  ministers  accredited  to  this  country  had  the 
manliness  and  good  sense  to  bring  their  wives  with 
them.  The  Japanese,  like  human  beings  generally, 
may  be  fond  of  indulging  their  appetites,  but  drunk- 
enness is  not  so  common  as  it  is  in  this  country,  and 
against  the  use  of  opium  the  most  rigid  regulations 
have  been  established.  Although  wedded  to  all 
kinds  of  aristocratic  notions,  they  admire  and  foster 
intellect  wherever  found,  and  in  their  public  offices 
always  endeavor  to  find  the  best  man  for  every  position 
to  be  filled.  They  are  also  remarkable  for  their 
unsordid  ideas  of  life  and  duty.  They  are  an  intel- 
lectual race,  and  their  native  education  is  wellnigh 
universal ;  the  commonest  people,  we  repeat,  can 
read  and  write  the  Japanese  language,  and  all  who 
make  any  pretension  to  culture  are  well  founded  in 
the  Chinese  language,  which  to  them  is  like  Latin  to 
the  English  scholar.  All  the  writers  who  have  asso- 
ciated with  the  Japanese  in  their  own  country,  or 
while  sojourning  in  America  or  Europe,  coincide  in 
the  opinion  that  they  are  remarkable  for  their  amiable 
and  agreeable  manners  ;  and  in  this  respect  the  great 
Iwakura  embassy  was  most  conspicuous  —  to  such  an 
extent,  indeed,  as  to  have  been  frequently  commented 
upon  both  in  this  country  and  England.  The 
porcelain,  lacquer-work,  paper  and  silk,  and  the 
bronzes  of  Japan  have  never  been  surpassed,  and  in 


294  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

some  particulars  not  equalled,  in  any  other  part  of 
the  world  ;  and  with  regard  to  their  pictorial  art, 
their  genius  has  been  misapprehended.  Contrary  to 
the  common  opinion,  they  understand  and  practise 
the  rules  of  perspective,  and  foreigners  have  made  a 
mistake  in  judging  of  their  skill  as  artists  by  the 
pictures  which  in .  Yedo  are  sold  by  the  millions  for 
the  tenth  part  of  a  penny.  A  large  proportion  of  the 
books  are  regularly  illustrated,  and  the  writer  of  this 
paper  has  in  his  possession  many  pictures  which  dis- 
play abilities  of  the  highest  order  for  correctness  and 
freedom  of  handling. 

The  relations  existing  between  Japan  and  the 
United  States  have  beefn,  and  are  now,  of  the  most 
friendly  character.  There  is  not  a  bone  of  contention 
between  them,  but  there  is  one  great  fact  on  the  side 
of  the  latter  which  is  humiliating  to  our  national 
honor  and  pride.  We  allude  to  what  is  called  the  in- 
demnity fund.  In  1864  a  noted  Daimio,  who  hated 
the  new  order  of  things  in  Japan,  fired  upon  a  foreign 
vessel  in  the  employ  of  another  Daimio.  The  allied 
powers  thought  themselves  insulted,  and  brought  the 
matter  to  the  attention  of  the  Imperial  Government, 
which  disclaimed  all  intention  of  doing  wrong,  and 
confessed  that  it  could  not  control  the  rebel  Daimio. 
The  powers  in  question,  the  British-,  Dutch,  French, 
and  Americans,  then  formed  a  little  fleet,  and  inflicted 
severe  punishment  on  the  offending  Daimio.  That 
done,  a  convention  was  called,  and  Japan  was  made  to 
promise  that  she  would  pay  an  indemnity  of  three 
million  dollars.  The  sum-total  of  that  indemnity  pay- 
able to  the  United  States  is  nearly  one  million,  two 
hundred  thousand  dollars.  When  more  tha»  one  half 
of  the  amount  due  the  United  States  had  been  paid, 
and  which  our  Government  was  ashamed   to  put  in 


THE    EMPIRE    OF   JAPAN.  295 

the  treasury,  Professor  Joseph  Henry  took  the  lead 
and  suggested  to  Congress  that  it  should  be  appro- 
priated to  educational  purposes  in  Japan.  The  Presi- 
dent was  in  favor  of  the  proposition,  but  Congress  did 
not  act ;  and  so  the  question  rested  for  a  while.  In 
the  meantime,  the  interested  European  powers  were 
trying  to  force  the  Mikado  to  open  his  Empire  to  the 
trade  of  all  nations.  His  Majesty  objected.  "Then," 
said  the  powers,  "you  must  pay  us  the  money  you 
owe."  The  Japanese  Government  paid  the  balance 
of  their  debt  to  the  three  European  powers,  and 
there  was  another  pause.  It  was  soon  found,  how- 
ever, not  to  be  diplomatic  for  the  United  States  to 
refuse  the  unpaid  balance  due  our  Government.  The 
arguments  were  successful,  and  the  American  minis- 
ter had  to  go  up  and  present  his  bill,  which  was 
instantly  paid.  For  a  moment  the  friendly  feelings 
of  the  Japanese  towards  America  were  slightly  abated, 
but  when  they  saw  the  diplomatic  necessity,  and 
thought  of  what  Professor  Henry  and  the  President 
had  tried  to  do,  the  former  kindly  feelings  were 
restored.  And  now  there  is  a  great,  and  in  some 
particulars  a  disgraceful,  squabble  going  on  in  the 
United  States  over  this  ill-gotten  gain.  One  of  two 
things  on  this  subject  is  true ;  either  that  it  was 
right  for  the  United  States  to  take  that  money  from 
a  country  like  Japan  when  in  a  state  of  revolution,  or 
that  it  was  not.  If  the  United  States  have  no  right 
to  the  money  in  question,  then  every  dollar  of  it 
should  be  returned  without  any  conditions.  If,  how- 
ever, there  is  a  bill  for  actual  expenses,  that  amount, 
(perhaps  less  than  twenty  thousand  dollars)  ought  to 
be  paid,  and  the  very  large  balance  should  be 
returned.  But  what  do  we  see  now  going  on  in  the 
way  of  schemes  for  handling  this  money  ?     (i)  The 


296  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

very  proper  and  most  wise  idea  of  Professor  Henry, 
to  appropriate  the  money  for  educational  purposes  in 
Japan  under  the  auspices  of  the  Japanese  themselves ; 
(2)  a  proposition  to  divide  the  money  among  the 
American  officers  and  sailors  who  on  one  steamer  did 
such  wonderful  work  at  Simonoseki ;  (3)  the  founding 
of  a  college  in  Japan,  to  be  wholly  officered  and  con- 
trolled by  Americans  ;  (4)  to  build  an  American  lega- 
tion in  Yedo  ;  and  (5)  to  educate  a  few  dozen  boys  in 
the  Japanese  language  for  service  at  the  American 
consulates  in  that  country.  Indeed,  the  preposterous 
propositions  may  be  counted  by  the  dozen,  and  the 
public  will  be  surprised  to  learn  that  there  was  once 
a  scheme  suggested  for  taking  this  Japanese  money 
to  build  a  new  State  Department  in  Washington. 
What  will  finally  be  done  is  doubtful,  and  we  cannot 
but  earnestly  hope  that  the  reputation  of  the  United 
States  for  liberality  and  fair  play  will  not  be  tarnished 
by  the  selfishness  and  cupidity  of  educational  leaders 
or  Congressional  demagogues. 

And  now,  with  a  few  remarks  on  the  literature  and 
language  of  Japan  we  will  conclude  this  article.  The 
Japanese  possess  a  copious  literature,  have  a  fond- 
ness for  reading,  and  indulge  themselves  in  study  to  a 
remarkable  degree.  Their  catalogues  of  published 
works  are  numerous  and  voluminous,  and  the  native 
books  are  divided  into  three  general  classes,  as  fol- 
lows :  Kangaku,  or  Chinese  classical  literature  and 
works  on  the  subject.  In  this  class  may  be  included 
works  on  Buddhism,  written  in  Chinese,  as  well  as 
the  commentaries  on  these,  and  the  form  of  verse 
known  as  Shi  by  native  authors ;  Wa-gaku,  or  native 
books  upon  exclusively  Japanese  subjects,  such  as 
history,  geography,  books  upon  subjects  of  local  inter- 
est, art,  and  ancient  legends  written  in  verse  ;  and  Kes- 


THE    EMPIRE    OF  JAPAN.  297 

aku,  or  novels,  tales,  and  historical  events  worked  up 
into  romances.  Of  this  class  they  possess  an  immense 
variety,  and  many  of  the  circulating  libraries  are  chiefly 
composed  of  these  productions.  Among  the  more  noted 
of  the  older  writers  may  be  mentioned  Kiosan,  Kio- 
den,  Sekku,  Sarnba,  and  Hokuba,  whose  productions 
range  from  romantic  history  to  very  romantic  fiction. 
Some  of  the  more  popular  writers  of  later  times  are 
Bakkin,  whose  tales  embodied  real  names  and 
descriptions  ;  Tanehiko,  who  described  his  own  times, 
just  before  the  advent  of  Europeans ;  Tamenaga,  a 
very  popular  novelist ;  Rei  Sanyow,  noted  for  his  his- 
tories ;  Seigan,  a  poet  writing  in  Chinese  ;  Motoori,  a 
writer  on  language ;  Atstane,  an  essayist ;  Oguni 
Takamasa,  a  poet;  and  Nakamura  and  Fukugawa, 
both  of  whom  are  English  scholars,  but  stand  at  the 
head  of  the  more  useful  writers  of  the  present  day, 
and  who  have  translated  into  their  language  selec- 
tions from  the  writings  of  very  many  of  the  modern 
writers  of  America  and  Europe.  The  writers  of 
legends,  travels,  and  romantic  tales  swell  the  list  of 
modem  Japanese  authors  to  a  large  number.  Unhap- 
pily, many  of  the  books  of  Japan  do  but  little  to  edify 
or  improve  the  morals  of  the  people. 

With  regard  to  poetry  the  Japanese  are  by  no  means 
deficient  in  the  true  sentiment,  but  their  ideas  of 
metre  and  melody  are  peculiar.  What  is  called  long 
poetry  is  formed  of  sentences  of  seven  and  five  sylla- 
bles alternately.  Short  poetry  consists  of  thirty-one 
syllables  only,  the  first  sentence  comprising  five,  the 
second  seven,  the  third  five,  and  the  fourth  and  fifth 
seven  syllables  each.  These  poems  are  generally 
written  on  long  and  narrow  strips  of  ornamented 
cardboard,  measuring  fourteen  by  about  three  inches, 
which  are  called  Tanzaku.     In  the  Honka  poetry  the 


298  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

syllables  follow  in  the  same  order,  but  are  read  differ- 
ently. The  Zootoka  has  the  same  number  of  sylla- 
bles, but  so  formed  as  to  demand  a  poetical  reply  of 
the  same  order.  Seidooka  possesses  a  similar  syllabic 
order  and  formation,  but  the  beginning  and  ending 
consist  of  words  or  characters  of  like  meaning.  The 
Kioka  is  the  ordinary  poem  of  thirty  syllables  in  the 
same  order.  The  Omugayashi  is  similar  to  the  Zoo- 
toka, with  the  exception  that  the  two  verses,  question 
and  reply,  have  only  one  of  the  thirty-one  syllables 
different.  In  the  change  of  this  the  merit  of  the 
performance  consists.  The  Oriku  is  an  acrostic  of 
thirty-one  syllables,  divided  into  lines  of  five  and 
seven  syllables,  twice  'alternating  in  one  of  seven 
syllables.  The  first  syllable  or  character  of  each  line 
is  given  arbitrarily.  The  Haikaiku  is  of  the  same 
number  and  order  of  syllables,  but  is  simply  a  poeti- 
cal play  on  words  or  a  proverb.  The  Renga  is  the 
Raminoku  or  verse  of  five,  seven,  and  five  syllables, 
answered  by  the  Shimonoku,  of  seven  and  seven 
syllables,  the  whole  forming  a  poem  of  thirty-one. 
The  Haikai  is  similar  to  the  Renga,  though  com- 
monly employed  upon  more  trivial  subjects.  Both  are 
called  Tzukeai  or  "joining."  The  Hokku  is  the  five, 
seven,  and  five,  or  poem  of  seventeen  syllables.  The 
Senriu  has  five,  seven  and  five  syllables,  and  is  a  jeu-de- 
mots.  It  only  remains  to  be  added  that  a  people  who 
have  such  a  variety  of  styles  in  expressing  their 
thoughts  cannot  but  be  gifted  in  the  utterance  of  the 
most  noble  and  beautiful  and  inspiring  of  sentiments 
and  poetical  reflections. 

Without  going  into  a  learned  disquisition  on  the 
language  of  Japan,  the  subjoined  general  statements 
may  be  accepted  as  correct.  Prior  to  the  period, 
nearly  one   thousand   two  hundred  years  ago,  when 


THE    EMPIRE    OF   JAPAN.  299 

the  Japanese  imbibed  certain  ideas  from  the  Chinese 
in  regard  to  language,  their  own  tongue  does  not 
appear  to  have  been  reduced  to  writing.  In  the 
earliest  known  writings,  in  prose  as  well  as  poetry, 
the  square  and  unabbreviated  form  of  the  Chinese 
characters  is  used  phonetically  to  represent  the 
sounds  of  the  Japanese  syllables.  These  characters 
were  called  Karina,  or  borrowed  names,  and  subse- 
quently contracted  into  what  is  now  called  the  Kana, 
which  is  syllabary,  and  consists  of  forty-eight  letters ; 
and  when  more  or  less  abbreviated  and  simplified  in 
form  these  characters  are  called  Hirakana,  or  plain 
letters,  and  are  at  the  present  time  the  common  sym- 
bols used  in  writing  the  native  Japanese.  Another 
class  of  characters  are  called  Kata-kana,  or  side 
letters,  which  are  also  derived  from  the  Chinese, 
but  in  which  only  a  part  of  the  character  is  used. 
These  are  more  ancient  than  the  Hira-kana,  and  are 
commonly  only  used  by  scholars  or  in  dictionaries. 
Another  form  of  the  Kana  was  invented  by  a  Budd- 
hist priest  about  one  thousand  years  ago,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  assimilating  it  to  the  letters  used  in  the 
sacred  books  of  the  Buddhists  throughout  the  great 
countries  of  Asia.  The  syllables  of  the  Japanese 
language  number  seventy-two,  and  the  fact  that  the 
greatest  care  has  to  be  taken  not  to  write  them  indis- 
criminately, and  thereby  infringe  upon  ancient  usage, 
the  difficulties  of  uttering  and  writing  them  are  very 
great  and  not  often  fully  surmounted  by  English 
speaking  people.  In  its  sound  the  Japanese  language 
is  soft  and  allied  to  the  Italian.  The  books  that  have 
latterly  been  published  upon  it  are  not  numerous, 
but  by  far  the  most  important  and  valuable  is  the 
Japanese  attd  English  Dictionary ^  prepared  in  1867 
by  J.  C.   Hepburn,  and  in  which  that  indefatigable 


300  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

scholar  has  defined  not  less  than  twenty  thousand 
words.  The  only  works  of  this  character,  and  of 
special  value,  which  preceded  that  of  Dr.  Hepburn, 
were  published  by  W.  H.  Medhurst,  in  Batavia,  in 
1830,  and  by  the  Jesuit  missionaries  to  Japan  in 
1603.  Ii^  writing,  the  Japanese  begin  on  the  right 
side  of  the  page,  and  proceed  in  vertical  columns,  and 
make  free  use  of  diacritic  and  punctuating  signs. 

As  no  adequate  idea  of  the  sound  of  Japanese 
words  can  be  obtained  without  first  understanding 
the  alphabet,  we  submit  it  to  the  reader,  as  follows : 
/-,  ro-y  ha-,  ni-y  ho-,  he-,  to-,  chi-,  ri-y  mc-,  ru-,  wo-,  wa-,  ka-^yo-y 
ta-y  re-y  so-,  tsz-y  ne-y  na-y  ra-y  mu-y  ti-y  i-,  no-,  o-,  ku-,  ya-, 
ma-,  ke-,  fit-,  ko-y  ye-,  te-y,a-y  sa-y  ki-y  yu-y  me-y  ini-y  shi-y 
ye-y  hi-y  mo-y  se-,  sz-,  and  ;/- ;  in  all,  forty-eight  sylla- 
bary letters.  The  characters  represented  by  the 
above  are  written  in  two  ways,  and  occasionally  an 
extra  meaning  is  given  by  the  addition  of  marks  and 
signs.  In  expressing  the  sound  of  the  Japanese 
vowels  the  continental  pronunciation  has  been  fol- 
lowed, because  of  its  being  more  definite  than  the 
English  ;  the  Japanese  have  been  accustomed  to  it 
for  two  or  more  centuries,  and  in  all  the  books 
written  by  Europeans  it  has  been  regularly  adopted. 

IJialectic  variations  are  numerous  and  depend  chiefly 
on  modifications  of  sound.  In  the  Japanese  grammar 
there  is  no  gender,  the  male  sex  being  indicated  by 
vo,  and  the  female  by  me ;  substantives  are  nearly 
allied  to  adjectives  ;  there  is  no  proper  article  ;  cases 
are  indicated  by  suffixes  ;  the  plural  is  formed  by 
suffixes,  which  signify  all,  much,  many;  the  genitive 
precedes ;  the  numerals  are  various  ;  of  figures  there 
are  three  sets  of  numbers  ;  of  pronouns,  those  of  the 
first  and  second  have  been  lost  in  the  words  of  eti- 
quette ;  demonstratives  are  numerous ;  relatives  are 


THE   EMPIRE    OF  JAPAN.  3OI 

wanting ;  verbs  are  perfect ;  certain  particles  denote 
the  moods ;  the  participles  are  of  extensive  application ; 
adverbs  are  similar  to  adjectives ;  the  syntax  adheres 
to  a  strict  order;  compounds  and  derivatives  are 
easy  and  frequent ;  and  many  simple  words  have 
significations  which  are  discriminated  by  sinograms. 
By  way  of  giving  the  reader  an  idea  of  Japanese 
when  spoken,  we  submit  the  following  specimens 
from  a  standard  vocabulary:  God,  Kamh  Shin, 
Kotoke ;  man,  h'tOy  fiijiy  niiigen  otoko ;  woman,  ounay 
fiijiOy  jo  ;  husband,  otto  teishuy  mtiko,  tszinUy  tonogo ; 
wife,  tszmay  kanaiy  niyoboy  naigi kaniisaUy  okusamUy  sat; 
world,  sekaiy  chikiuy  tenchi  tenkuy  sekeuy  yo  sejoy  seji; 
country,  kuniy  kokuy  tochiy  inakuy  saigo,  koka ;  rice, 
momi ;  silk,  kinUy  ito;  porcelain,  setomono ;  enemy, 
tekiy  kataki  ada ;  friend,  tomodachiy  hoyu,  hobaiy 
mkiatUy  yorube  tayoriy  and  religion  oshiycy  michi  ho  do. 
It  will  thus  be  seen  that  there  are  often  many  ways 
of  expressing  the  same  idea,  and  that  it  is  not  to  be 
wondered  at  that  the  natives  of  one  province  of  the 
Japanese  Empire  are  often  unable  to  understand  their 
fellow-countrymen  residing  in  another  province. 


THE  ISLANDS  OF  OKINAWA. 

THESE  islands  have  recently  become  a  regular 
province  or  ken  of  the  Japanese  Empire,  but 
are  still  a  subject  of  serious  controversy  between 
Japan  and  China.  Their  ancient  name  was  Liu  Kiu, 
which  has  been  corrupted  by  modern  navigators  into 
Loo-Choo,  Lew-Chew,  Lieou  Kieou,  Riou  Kiou,  Loung 
Khieou,  and  by  the  present  natives  into  Doo-Choo  ; 
but  the  more  musical  name  of  Okinawa  was  given  to 
them  by  the  inhabitants  themselves  centuries  ago, 
and  the  meaning  of  it  is  "  the  cord  lying  upon  the 
sea."  The  entire  group  consists  of  thirty-seven 
islands,  the  largest  of  which  is  eighty-five  miles  long, 
by  from  three  to  twenty-three  in  width,  and  has  a 
circumference  of  one  hundred  and  fourteen  ri,  or 
about  two  hundred  and  seventy-eight  miles.  Upon 
this  is  the  seat  of  Government,  called  Shuri,  and  the 
principal  port,  Napha.  It  is  the  largest  as  well  as 
the  most  central  of  the  group,  and  has  for  centuries 
been  called  Okinawa.  At  one  time  when  this  largest 
island  with  two  others  of  the  group  had  three  rulers, 
the  one  who  occupied  the  central  portion  called  him- 
self the  "  king  of  the  Middle  Mountain  Region," 
while  the  other  two  had  jurisdiction  respectively  over 
a  northern  and  a  southern  portion,  independent  of 
each  other.  The  islands  which  rank  as  the  second 
group  of  Okinawa  are  Miakoshime,  and  number  nine 
islands ;  the  third  group  consisting  of  ten  are  called 

302  1^'^ s  N v^  ^ ^  '■^'■^ ''  ^ M 


THE    ISLANDS    OF    OKINAWA.  3O3 

the  Ishigaki  Islands ;  and  the  fourth  group  number- 
ing seven  are  called  the  Oshima  Islands,  but  these 
were  subjugated  in  1610  and  became  a  portion  of  the 
province  of  the  Prince  of  Satsuma,  in  Japan.  Taken 
as  a  whole,  the  islands  of  Okinawa  lie  within  24°  and 
28°  40'  north  latitude,  and  122°  50'  and  132°  10'  east 
longitude,  and  about  midway  between  Formosa  and 
Japan. 

According  to  the  latest  census  the  population  of 
the  Okinawa  Islands  is  167,067,  including  27,164 
families,  one  of  which  is  of  the  nobility,  5,370  of  the 
Samurai,  and  21,793  of  the  common  class  ;  while 
the  numerical  equality  of  the  sexes  is  almost  com- 
plete. 

The  surface  of  the  largest  island  is  hilly  if  not 
mountainous ;  and  while  the  high  lands  are  covered 
with  forests  of  soft-wood  trees,  the  lower  hill-sides 
and  level  country  are  highly  cultivated  and  noted  for 
their  sylvan  attractions.  The  people  are  chiefly 
occupied  in  agricultural  pursuits,  and  many  of  the 
women  weave  a  kind  of  cloth  which  finds  a  ready 
market  in  the  neighboring  province  of  Satsuma.  But 
before  fully  describing  the  country  and  people,  it  will 
be  better  to  submit  an  outline  of  the  history  of 
Okinawa 

The  first  man  and  woman  associated  with  the 
islands,  whose  names  are  preserved  by  tradition,  were 
Shinireque  and  Amamiko;  their  son  Tenson,  or  "off- 
spring of  Heaven,"  was  the  first  ruler  of  the  king- 
dom, and  his  dynasty  continued  for  twenty-five  gen> 
erations  from  the  time  of  his  accession,  of  which 
period,  however,  there  are  no  recorded  dates  existing. 
In  607  a  Chinese  vessel  made  its  appearance  at  the 
island  with  an  embassy;  but  although  permitted  to 
land,  they  could  not  hold  any  intercourse  with   the 


304  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

natives,  and  therefore  accomplished  nothing.     In  6io 
another  Chinese  embassy  arrived. 

These  envoys  brought  an  interpreter  with  them, 
and  politely  invited  the  islanders  to  become  tributary 
to  China ;  and,  upon  receiving  a  positive  refusal  of 
their  civil  request,  they  burned  the  king's  palace, 
took  a  number  of  men  as  prisoners,  and  returned  to 
their  country.  In  6i6  a  small  colony  of  thirty  men 
arrived  in  Japan  from  Yaku,  one  of  the  so-called 
"  Southern  Islands  "  of  Liu  Kiu,  for  the  purpose  of 
living  in  that  country;  and  they  not  only  acknowl- 
edged the  jurisdiction  of  Japan,  but  brought  a  tribute 
with  them,  which  was  the  first  time  such  a  manifesta- 
tion of  allegiance  had  been  given  by  them  to  any 
nation.  In  753,  while  a  Japanese  embassy  was 
returning  home  from  China,  they  were  forced  by 
stress  of  weather  to  make  a  harbor  among  these 
islands  ;  and  then  it  was  that  they  became  known  as 
Okinawa.  In  853  another  Chinese  vessel  visited  the 
islands,  but  those  on  board  were  not  permitted  to  land. 
In  1 168  a  Japanese  general  named  Minamotono-Tam- 
etomo,  uncle  of  Yoritomo,  who  had  been  defeated 
in  battle,  was  exiled  to  one  of  the  islands  south  of 
Yokohama  ;  from  that  place  he  escaped  with  certain 
followers  to  one  of  the  islands  of  Okinawa,  and  hav- 
ing reached  the  main  island  subdued  it,  and  settled 
there. 

He  married  the  sister  of  a  feudal  lord,  by  whom  he 
had  a  son  named  Soujin,  who  in  1187  became  the 
king  of  Okinawa,  bearing  the  title  of  Shunten-no. 
From  that  period  began  the  regular  Japanese  dynasty. 
He  was  the  man  who  introduced  the  Japanese  alpha- 
bet into  the  country.  It  was  at  this  period,  also,  that 
the  Prince  of  Satsuma  became  identified  with  the 
islands  as  a  kind  of  overseer  or  governor,  his  family 


THE    ISLANDS    OF    OKINAWA.  3O5 

name  being  Shimadzu,  which  has  been  duly  trans- 
mitted to  all  his  successors.  It  is  stated  that  in  1 168, 
the  time  of  the  first  Shiogoon-Yoritomo,  three  gen- 
erals of  the  Taira  family,  who  had  been  defeated  by 
him  in  battle  near  the  Straits  of  Shimonoseki,  fled  to 
Oshima  with  their  followers,  and  having  subdued  the 
island  divided  it  among  themselves.  In  1238  the  son 
of  Sou j in  was  proclaimed  ruler  of  Okinawa,  and  was 
succeeded  also  by  his  son,  who,  however,  abdicated,  and 
so  brought  to  an  end  the  rule  of  Japan. 

In  1253  Yeiso,  said  to  have  been  a  descendant  of 
Tenson,  was  proclaimed  the  ruler ;  and  by  him  were 
first  built  the  tombs  and  Buddhist  temples.  In  1290 
Kublai  Khan,  Emperor  of  China,  sent  a  letter  to 
Okinawa,  inviting  its  people  to  become  tributary  to  his 
Empire  ;  but  there  was  again  some  trouble  on  account 
of  the  diverse  languages,  and  after  a  little  fighting 
the  envoys  returned  home  unsuccessful.  In  1297 
still  another  Chinese  mission  arrived  and  was  equally 
unfortunate.  In  13 14  the  dynasty  of  Yeiso  came  to 
an  end,  and  then  it  was  that  for  a  time  the  country 
had  three  rulers.  In  1350  one  Satsdo,  whose  pedigree 
is  unknown,  became  the  ruler;  and  in  answer  to 
another  appeal  from  China  in  1372  he  consented  to 
pay  tribute  to  that  Empire,  and  sent  his  brother  in 
1373  as  an  envoy  to  the  Flowery  Land  ;  he  also  sent 
several  students  to  that  country,  and  was  the  first  one 
to  introduce  a  Chinese  court  uniform  into  Okinawa. 

The  other  two  rulers  followed  his  example  and 
continued  to  pay  tribute.  In  145 1  tribute  was  paid 
to  the  Shogiin  of  Japan,  and  the  first  Shintii  temple 
was  erected;  in  1465  a  calendar  was  established  ;  two 
years  afterwards  a  mission  was  sent  to  Corea ;  in 
1 47 1  I  decree  was  issued  by  Japan  against  the  prac- 
tise of  smuggling  between  that  Empire  and  Okinawa; 


306  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

and  in  the  two  following  years  missions  were  sent  to 
Satsuma,  and  trade  regulations  were  established.  In 
1480  the  Shogiin  ordered  the  Prince  of  Satsuma  to 
demand  an  annual  tribute  from  the  King  of  Okinawa; 
and  this  was  not  only  complied  with,  but  the  king 
soon  afterwards  sent  his  congratulations  to  the  suc- 
ceeding prince.  In  1503  an  expedition  was  sent  to 
Malacca  for  commercial  purposes  ;  but  the  vessels 
were  wrecked,  while  the  men  found  their  way  to 
Canton,  and  were  duly  returned  to  their  own  country 
by  the  Chinese  authorities. 

It  was  also  about  this  period  that  the  men  of  Okin- 
awa adopted  the  curious  custom  of  wearing  hair-pins, 
which  marked  different'  distinctions,  and  were  made 
of  gold,  silver,  and  copper,  thereby  imitating  the 
women  of  Japan,  who  alone  wear  such  ornaments  in 
that  Empire.  In  15 16  a  considerable  number  of 
restless  Japanese  fitted  out  twelve  junks  for  the  pur- 
pose of  invading  Okinawa,  when  the  Prince  of  Sat- 
suma became  indignant  at  this  interference  with  the 
islands  which  had  long  been  his  tributaries,  and  hav- 
ing obtained  the  Shogun's  permission  he  encoun- 
tered the  proposed  invaders,  destroyed  them,  and  took 
their  vessels.  In  the  year  1591  the  Shogun  Taiko.. 
better  known  as  Taiko  Sama,  conceived  the  idea  of 
sending  an  expedition  to  Corea  ;  and  having  called 
upon  the  Prince  of  Satsuma  and  his  tributary  of 
Okinawa  for  the  necessary  soldiers,  he  suggested  that 
Okinawa  should  be  called  upon  to  furnish  supplies 
instead  of  men. 

In  due  time  the  news  of  this  expedition  was  sent  to 
China  by  the  islanders,  which  greatly  incensed  the 
Shogun  ;  whereupon  he  repeated  his  demand,  and  the 
supplies  were  furnished.  After  the  lapse  of  some 
eighteen  years  the   King    of   Okinawa  neglected   to 


THE   ISLANDS    OF   OKINAWA.  307 

send  his  regular  tribute  to  Japan,  whereupon  the 
Prince  of  Satsuma  collected  a  fleet  of  one  hundred 
war  junks,  and  putting  into  them  about  three  thou- 
sand soldiers,  made  sail  for  the  rebellious  island,  sub- 
jugated it,  and  carried  its  ruler  as  a  prisoner  to  Japan, 
all  within  the  space  of  forty  days. 

As  a  result  of  this  expedition  Oshima,  with  four 
other  islands,  was  ceded  directly  to  the  Prince  of 
Satsuma,  who  was  made  Governor  of  Okinawa.  An 
agreement  was  soon  afterwards  made,  which  contained 
among  others  the  following  provisions  :  That  Okin- 
awa should  have  no  intercourse  with  China,  except- 
ing by  the  permission  of  Japan  ;  that  no  men  should 
be  enslaved,  and  no  servants  should  be  bought  or 
sold  for  purposes  of  gain  ;  that  there  should  not  be  a 
surplus  of  temples ;  that  no  trade  should  be  carried 
on  with  any  foreign  nation  without  the  consent  of 
Japan  ;  that  the  people  should  not  be  over-taxed  ;  that 
a  stop  should  be  put  to  all  gambling  ;  and  that  the 
weights  and  measures  of  the  islands  should  be  made 
to  accord  with  Japanese  standards.  After  the  con- 
clusion of  this  agreement  the  exiled  king  was  permitted 
to  wait  upon  the  Shogiin,  and  afterwards  to  return  to 
his  own  people. 

During  the  prolonged  tranquility  which  followed, 
the  inhabitants  of  Okinawa  began  to  turn  their  atten- 
tion to  new  sources  of  national  wealth.  From  certain 
prisoners  who  had  been  brought  to  Satsuma  from 
Corea  they  obtained  the  art  of  manufacturing  porce- 
lain ;  they  also  sent  to  China  for  sugar-cane,  and  a 
limited  trade  was  opened  with  that  Empire.  In  1644 
an  official  delegation  was  sent  to  Tokio  for  the  pur- 
pose of  congratulating  the  new  Shogun  on  his  acces- 
sion to  power ;  and  all  the  rulers  of  Japan  have  from 
that  date  to  the  present  time  been  honored  in   the 


308  LEADING    MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

same  manner,  while  each  successive  king  of  Okinawa 
has  received  his  investiture  from  Japan. 

The  first  regular  history  of  Okinawa  was  prepared 
in  1650,  under  the  general  supervision  of  a  prince 
named  Kimbu,  assisted  by  one  Dairi  Oya  Kata,  and 
was  in  the  Japanese  language.  About  this  time  the 
idea  was  conceived  by  the  Sing  dynasty  of  conferring 
a  kind  of  investiture  upon  the  King  of  Okinawa. 
The  compliment  was  reciprocated  by  sending  a  tribute 
to  China,  and  this  romantic  diplomacy  was  continued 
for  many  years.  In  the  meantime  the  doctrines  of 
Confucius  were  becoming  popular,  and  in  1672  the 
first  temple  was  erected,an'd  dedicated  to  that  philoso- 
pher. It  was  at  this  period  also  that  a  vessel  bearing 
the  annual  tribute  to  China  was  overtaken  and  seized 
by  the  chief  of  Formosa,  who  was  apparently  a  kind 
of  corsair,  and  who  had  fled  to  that  island  after  the 
fall  of  the  Ming  dynasty  of  China.  The  king  of  Okin- 
awa was  helpless  to  avenge  this  wrong,  and  he 
appealed  to  the  Prince  of  Satsuma  for  his  assistance, 
which  was  duly  promised.  Not  long  afterwards  a 
well-freighted  vessel  from  Formosa  arrived  at  Naga- 
saki, and  an  indemnity  for  the  outrage  was  demanded 
from  the  captain,  which  was  turned  over  to  Okinawa 
by  the  Shogun's  government.  In  a  remonstrance 
which  the  Formosan  authority  sent  to  Japan,  he  said 
he  had  proven  his  friendship  for  the  Shogun  by  send- 
ing back  certain  shipwrecked  men ;  that  he  had 
attacked  the  Okinawa  vessel  because  no  one  could 
tell  whether  a  vessel  carrying  tribute  to  the  "  Barba- 
rians of  China  "  (alluding  to  the  Manchu  rule  which 
succeeded  the  Ming  dynasty)  belonged  to  Okinawa  or 
not ;  that  Okinawa  had  no  communication  with  For- 
mosa, and  that  this  trouble  had  endangered  the 
friendship  between  Formosa  and  Japan. 


THE    ISLANDS    OF    OKINAWA.  3O9 

During  the  whole  of  the  eighteenth  century  the 
islands  of  Okinawa  would  seem  to  have  remained 
in  a  state  of  perfect  tranquility.  They  continued  to 
pay  a  double  tribute  to  Japan  and  China,  and  having 
faithfully  done  so  they  felt  that  they  had  a  right  to 
bring  in  from  abroad  any  new  ideas  that  they  might 
fancy.  Hence  they  imported  the  paper  mulberry 
from  Japan,  and  began  to  manufacture  paper  ;  and 
from  China  they  obtained  the  secret  of  making  India 
ink,  and  also  as  an  article  of  food  when  young,  and 
for  the  beauty  of  its  wood,  they  imported  and  culti- 
vated the  famous  moso  bamboo.  They  also  adopted  a 
code  of  criminal  laws  and  of  laws  for  reward,  and  not 
only  established  a  national  school,  but  many  local 
schools  in  the  various  districts.  Nor  was  the  reign 
of  Arcadian  simplicity  disturbed  until  towards  the 
middle  of  the  present  century. 

In  1844  a  French  vessel  made  its  appearance  in  the 
harbor  of  Napha,  but  when  its  captain  proposed  to 
do  a  little  trading,  he  was  told  that  Okinawa  was  a 
small  country  and  the  people  Had  nothing  to  sell ; 
wherefore  he  took  his  departure,  leaving  on  the 
island  a  missionary  with  a  Chinaman  who  had  accom- 
panied him  on  the  voyage.  Two  years  afterwards  a 
second  French  vessel  arrived,  but  no  trade  was  accom- 
plished ;  it  however  also  brought  another  missionary, 
who  was  left  behind,  while  the  former  one  was  taken 
away.  An  English  merchantman  having  arrived,  the 
refusal  to  commence  trade  was  still  insisted  upon. 
Then  in  1853  came  Commodore  Perry,  who  succeeded 
in  making  a  compact  with  them,  and  the  story  of 
whose  visit  was  pleasantly  recorded  by  his  attach^  Bay- 
ard Taylor,  while  various  graphic  pictures  of  the  men 
and  things  at  Okinawa  were  drawn  and  published 
by  William  Hine,  the  regular  artist  of  the  expedition. 


310  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

The  year  following  Perry's  departure  the  islands 
were  visited  by  a  mission  from  France,  when  another 
compact  was  made  ;  and  three  years  afterwards  the 
Netherlands  made  still  a  third  agreement  or  treaty. 
At  some  of  the  official  interviews  which  occurred  at 
this  time  there  were  two  men  who  were  uniformly 
present,  and,  while  they  appeared  to  be  natives  of 
Okinawa  were  in  reality  secret  emissaries  from  Sat- 
suma,  Japan.  In  1871,  when  the  Daimio  system  was 
abolished  in  Japan,  the  islands  of  Okinawa  were 
attached  to  the  ken  of  Kagoshima ;  and  in  the  follow- 
ing year  the  late  king,  Shotai,  sent  one  of  his  leading 
officials  and  a  prince  to  Tokio  to  congratulate  the 
Emperor  of  Japan  on  the  restoration  of  the  Imperial 
Government.  Then  it  was  that  Okinawa  was  estab- 
lished as  a  ban,  the  king  invested  with  the  title  of 
Han-no  —  a  rank  resembling  that  of  viceroy  — created 
a  member  of  the  Kazoku  nobility,  and  placed  in  the 
rank  of  first  class  officials,  and  an  official  residence 
assigned  to  the  ban  authorities  in  the  city  of  Tokio. 

In  1874  the  affairs  of  Okinawa  were  transferred 
from  the  department  of  Foreign  Affairs  to  that  of  the 
Interior  Department.  About  that  time  also  a  kind  of 
mission  arrived  at  Tokio  from  Okinawa,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  looking  after  the  interests  of  those  islands ; 
and  about  six  months  ago  they  expressed  a  wish  that 
their  ruler  might  be  permitted  to  continue  his  old 
custom  of  paying  tribute  to  China.  For  the  several 
reasons  that  China  has  never  claimed  Okinawa  as  a 
dependency,  that  these  islands  are  geographically 
connected  with  Japan,  and  belong  to  that  Empire  by 
the  right  of  conquest  and  of  possession,  the  appeal  of 
the  embassy  was  rejected ;  nor  indeed  was  there  any 
other  course  for  Japan  to  pursue  consistently  with  her 
honor,  her  dignity,  and  the  welfare  of  the  Empire  as 


THE    ISLANDS    OF    OKINAWA.  3II 

well  as  of  Okinawa.  The  reply  of  Japan  to  this  appeal, 
as  it  is  understood,  was  followed  by  the  despatch  of 
Matsuda  Michiyuki  on  a  special  mission  to  inform  the 
ruler  of  Okinawa  of  the  Imperial  decision.  On  April 
5,  1879,  ^"  official  notification  appeared  abolishing  the 
Liu  Kiu  Han,  establishing  the  Okinawa  Ken,  and 
placing  the  seat  of  government  at  Shuri. 

The  peculiarities  of  the  inhabitants  of  Okinawa  may 
be  summed  up  as  follows :  They  are  noted  for  their 
natural  intelligence,  though  the  majority  have  few 
opportunities  for  acquiring  the  knowledge  contained 
in  books ;  their  language  is  closely  allied  to  that  of  the 
Japanese ;  their  occupations  are  chiefly  agricultural, 
the  leading  productions  being  rice,  wheat,  sugar, 
millet,  sweet  potatoes,  beans,  peas,  radishes,  turnips, 
tobacco,  cotton,  indigo,  and  flax ;  their  manufactures 
are  limited  to  cloths  made  from  cotton  and  grass,  to 
porcelain  and  lacquered  goods,  and  such  other  things 
as  are  needed  for  a  simple  rural  population  ;  the  men 
are  generally  stout,  well-formed,  and  fond  of  wearing 
beards ;  the  women  are  small,  and  kept  in  a  low 
social  position ;  all  classes  arc  industrious  and  neat  in 
their  persons  and  habitations  ;  their  style  of  dressing 
is  Oriental,  and  suited  to  the  climate  ;  the  homes  are 
comfortable  and  picturesque ;  the  table  and  household 
customs  are  similar  to  those  of  the  Japanese ;  in 
religion  they  are  generally  Buddhists,  although  some 
of  their  rites  are  peculiar  to  these  islands ;  they  pay 
special  attention  to  the  dead,  placing  their  remains  in 
stone  tombs,  and,  when  reduced  to  bones  or  dust,  in 
vases,  which  they  keep  in  suitable  vaults,  or  hide 
away  in  the  clefts  of  the  rocks  ;  their  commerce  is 
limited,  and  they  are  dependent  chiefly  upon  Japan 
for  their  currency. 

They  know  not  what  it  is  to  have  an  army,  nor  any 


312  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

such  offspring  of  civilization  as  a  political  demagogue ; 
their  pohcy  is  to  carry  on  their  public  affairs  in  a 
spirit  of  courtesy  and  kindness.  When  they  have 
deemed  it  necessary  to  carry  guns  on.  their  little 
vessels,  they  have  borrowed  them  from  Satsuma. 
They  use  the  Japanese  alphabet,  and  write  after  the 
manner  of  their  neighbors  and  protectors ;  and  in 
speaking  of  their  language  they  claim  that  six  tenths 
of  the  words  are  Japanese,  three  tenths  a  local  dialect, 
and  one  tenth  Chinese.  When  any  public  business  is 
to  be  transacted,  the  people  are  called  together  in 
their  several  districts,  and  the  men  in  authority 
accomplish  the  purposes  of  the  Government  by  kindly 
admonitions. 

The  cultivated  portions  of  Okinawa  bear  but  a 
small  proportion  to  the  total  area,  and  the  stranger 
who  is  permitted  to  journey  through  the  principal 
island  will  find  much  to  interest  him  in  the  way  of 
picturesque  scenery.  While  the  mountains  attain  an 
elevation  of  only  about  one  thousand  feet,  they  are 
covered  with  forests  of  pine,  banyan,  box-wood  and 
bamboo,  and  fantastic  formations  of  coral  rock  abound ; 
the  sides  of  the  lower  hills  are  often  terraced  and 
highly  cultivated ;  the  small  streams  of  the  main 
island  are  spanned  by  many  quaint,  ancient,  and 
beautiful  bridges  ;  mills  for  crushing  sugar-cane  and 
grinding  the  various  other  grains  are  frequently  seen 
by  the  road-side,  with  horses  or  bulls  for  motive  power. 
The  villages  are  numerous,  and  often  present  an 
appearance  of  great  antiquity,  the  granaries  being 
a  leading  feature  of  each  village ;  and  there  is  one 
ancient  castle  upon  the  island,  the  walls  of  which  are 
fifty  feet  high  and  twenty  feet  in  thickness,  giving 
evidence  in  its  construction  of  unusual  skill. 

As  the  custom  of  paying  tribute  to  two  countries 


THE    ISLANDS    OF    OKINAWA.  313 

seems  peculiar  to  Okinawa,  an  additional  remark  on 
the  subject  may  be  made.  The  payment  has  been 
made  to  Japan  from  the  seventh  century  to  the 
present  time,  with  the  exception  of  about  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  years.  It  has  generally  consisted  of 
various  articles  of  produce,  and  the  amount  has  been 
estimated  by  kokus  of  rice,  the  value  of  one  koku 
ranging  from  five  to  seven  yens,  or  dollars.  The 
largest  tribute  or  tax  paid  to  Japan  was  8600  kokus, 
and  on  one  occasion,  when  the  object  was  to  send 
3680  kokus  of  rice,  brown  sugar  was  substituted  to 
the  amount  of  970,000  pounds.  The  tribute  to  China 
has  sometimes  been  paid  with  sulphur,  copper,  and 
tin ;  and  this  intercourse  with  China  has  been  carried 
on  by  two  vessels,  having  each  about  two  hundred 
men. 

With  regard  to  the  climate  of  these  islands,  it  may 
be  stated  that  the  summer  heat  averages  93°  and 
the  winter  temperature  57°.  If  the  irrigation  were 
more  complete,  it  would  be  easy  to  raise  two  crops 
of  rice  per  annum  ;  and  five  crops  of  sweet  potatoes 
are  easily  produced  in  two  years.  The  foliage  of  the 
country  is  always  fresh  and  green,  and  there  is  no 
such  season  as  autumn.  By  way  of  giving  an  idea 
of  the  material  wealth  of  the  islands,  it  may  be  stated 
that  the  chief  productions  in  a  recent  year  were  of 
rice,  32,000  kokus  ;  barley  and  wheat,  5000 ;  peas, 
2800;  goma,  1300;  salt,  15,000;  and  of  sugar, 
5,000,000  |X)unds,  and  of  sweet  potatoes,  135,000,000 
pounds,  one  Japanese  pound  being  equal  to  one  and 
one  third  English  pounds.  The  leading  exports  to 
Japan  are  sugar,  linen  goods,  mats,  porcelain,*  spirits, 
pork,  and  lacquered  ware ;  and  the  imports,  all  from 
Japan,  are  rice,  peas,  sack,  oil,  tea,  wax,  tobacco,  sea- 
weed, dried  fish,  macaroni,  raw  cotton,   stationery, 


314  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 


copper,  iron,  tin,  lumber,  as  well  as  cooking  utensils. 
On  March  27,  1879,  ^^  official  of  the  Japanese 
Government  arrived  at  Okinawa  with  the  Imperial 
order,  transforming  the  islands  from  what  was  formerly 
a  han  into  a  ken^  or  province.  The  deposed  king 
was  at  the  time  quite  ill,  and  his  son.  Prince  Shohitsu, 
acted  for  him  during  the  mournful  ceremony.  The 
officers  of  the  new  ken  examined  the  documents 
of  the  han,  and  placed  them  under  a  seal.  Police- 
men were  then  stationed  at  all  the  gates  of  the  castle, 
and  the  people,  who  were  assembled  for  that  purpose, 
were  advised  of  the  intentions  of  the  Japanese  Gov- 
ernment, and  received^  the  regulations  which  were  in 
future  to  be  observed  by  them.  This  caused  some 
excitement  and  a  remonstrance,  but  no  open  oppo- 
sition was  manifested.  On  the  night  of  the  twenty- 
ninth,  the  ex-king  retired  from  his  palace,  and  it  was 
immediately  occupied  by  a  detachment  of  Japanese 
troops.  By  this  evacuation  was  signified  the  deter- 
mination of  the  people  to  obey  the  orders  of  the 
Japanese  Government,  and  on  the  second  of  April, 
the  ex-king  proclaimed  the  abolishment  of  the  han. 
According  to  a  subsequent  notification  from  officials 
of  the  Imperial  Government,  the  leading  officers  of 
the  old  han  were  to  be  superseded,  while  the  local 
officers  of  the  three  departments  and  of  the  wards 
and  villages  were  to  be  retained.  In  commenting 
upon  this  important  change  in  the  condition  of  Oki- 
nawa, the  Japanese  press  has  manifested  much  sym- 
pathy for  the  people  of  the  new  province,  and  has 
urged  the  Government  to  treat  the  dethroned  Han-no 
and  his  family  with  the  uttermost  kindness  and  con- 
sideration. Until  some  time  in  the  month  of  May, 
the  Han-no  was  still  too  seriously  indisposed  to  visit 
Japan,  as  he  had  been  ordered,  but  he  sent  his  son, 


THE    ISLANDS    OF    OKINAWA.  315 

a  boy  of  fourteen,  who  was  kindly  received  by  the 
Emperor,  and  was  entertained  at  several  banquets ; 
after  which  ceremonies  the  sensible  youth  asked  per- 
mission to  be  received  as  a  student  in  the  Imperial 
College  for  the  education  of  noblemen. 

On  June  9,  1879,  the  Han-no  of  Okinawa,  following 
in  the  wake  of  his  son,  arrived  at  Tokio,  accompanied 
by  a  retinue  of  one  hundred  personal  attendants.  He 
was  comfortably  lodged,  and  handsomely  provided 
for,  but  no  special  attentions  were  shown,  as  it 
was  considered  necessary  for  the  Japanese  Govern- 
ment to  emphasize  the  fact  that  the  ex-king  is  now 
a  subject  of  the  Empire,  although  one  of  a  high 
rank. 

With  regard  to  the  controversy  between  China  and 
Japan,  the  following  particulars  are  the  latest  which 
have  been  received  in  this  country.  During  ex-Presi- 
dent Grant's  late  visit  to  China,  a  leading  official  of 
that  Empire  requested  him,  on  his  arrival  in  Japan, 
to  act  as  a  peace-maker  between  the  two  countries  in 
regard  to  the  controversy  about  the  islands  of  Loo- 
Choo,  or  Okinawa,  and  he  promised  to  do  what  he 
could  with  propriety  as  a  private  individual.  When 
the  General  came  to  Tokio,  the  Chinese  minister 
resident  there  waited  upon  him  and  informed  him 
that  the  Chinese  Government  claimed  Okinawa  as  a 
vassal,  giving  various  historical  reasons  for  the  claim, 
and  speaking  in  severe  terms  of  the  "violent  and 
coercive  conduct  of  Japan."  The  diplomatic  corre- 
spondence which  had  taken  place  between  China  and 
Japan,  and  which  was  noted  for  its  Oriental  ability 
and  sharpness,  was  first  submitted  to  the  General ; 
and  by  a  special  appointment  he  also  had  an  interview 
with  the  Japanese  ministers  for  the  Interior  and  War 
Departments  and  the  Japanese  minister  to  the  United 


3l6  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

States  (at  home  on  leave  of  absence),  when  the  Japa- 
nese side  of  the  controversy  was  submitted.  The 
historical  evidence  brought  forward  was  in  keeping 
with  what  has  already  appeared  in  this  paper,  the 
principal  points  of  which  were  that  Okinawa  had 
been  ruled  by  Japan  for  many  centuries  ;  that  there 
was  a  geographical  as  well  as  family  alliance  between 
them ;  and  that  the  allegiance  of  Okinawa  was  proven 
by  the  famous  "oath  of  Shonei,"  a  noted  chieftain 
of  Okinawa,  which  oath  in  terms  recited  that  the 
islands  had  been  subject  to  Satsuma  for  many  centu- 
ries. After  fully  considering  all  the  questions  sub- 
mitted to  him,  General  Grant  said  in  substance  that 
he  had  mentioned  the'  matter  only  at  the  earnest 
solicitation  of  the  Chinese  Government  ;  that  it 
would  be  safe  in  the  hands  of  the  American  minister 
to  Japan,  to  whom  he  would  refer  it ;  and  that  he 
must  be  excused  from  giving  any  opinion  as  to  the 
merits  of  the  question  in  dispute.  He  of  course 
deprecated  any  thing  like  serious  hostility  between 
the  two  Governments,  but  added  that  the  army  and 
navy  of  Japan  were  stronger  than  those  of  China ; 
that  the  latter  country  was  really  defenceless,  although 
possessed  of  immense  resources ;  and  that,  because 
of  her  position,  Japan  could  afford  to  consider  the 
whole  question  from  an  elevated  and  magnanimous 
point  of  view.  In  the  course  of  his  remarks  on  this 
subject  it  is  understood  that  General  Grant  alluded 
in  pointed  terms  to  the  arbitrary  and  selfish  schemes 
of  certain  European  powers,  in  connection  with  the 
nations  of  the  Orient,  and  his  words  were  but  an 
echo  of  the  sentiment  existing  throughout  the  United 
States. 


THE  OGASAWARA  ISLANDS. 

THESE  islands,  generally  known  by  the  name  of 
Bonin,  lie  about  five  hundred  mil6s  from  the 
coast  of  Japan,  in  a  southerly  direction ;  they  are 
divided  into  three  groups,  bearing  the  names  of 
Parry,  Peel  and  Bailey ;  and  their  total  area  is  about 
one  hundred  and  twenty  square  miles.  The  distance 
between  the  two  extreme  islands  is  about  eighty 
miles,  and  the  largest,  which  is  near  the  centre, 
measures  seven  and  a  half  miles  ;  and  the  only  one 
that  is  inhabited,  is  four  and  a  half  miles  long  and 
called  Peel  Island.  They  were  discovered  by  the 
Japanese  in  the  latter  part  of  the  sixteenth  century, 
and  until  1624  were  held  as  a  fief  by  the  Daimio 
Ogasawara  Sadayori.  From  that  date  until  1728, 
their  history  is  an  entire  blank,  but  in  that  year 
they  were  again  visited  by  the  Japanese.  In  the 
year  1823,  Captain  Coffin,  of  the  American  whaling 
ship  Transit^  landed  there,  established  the  posi- 
tion, and  bestowed  his  name  upon  the  locality.  In 
1827,  Captain  Beechey,  in  the  English  surveying 
ship  Blossoniy  touched  at  the  same  spot,  and, 
though  fully  aware  of  the  prior  discovery  by  Coffin, 
which  he  acknowledged,  claimed  possession  of  the 
whole  group  for  Great  Britain,  and  re-named  the 
several  islands.  This,  it  is  remarked  in  the  narra- 
tive of  Commodore  Perry's  expedition,  was  done 
'•with  the  proverbial  modesty  and  justice  of  English 

3»7 


3l8  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN, 

surveyors,  as  if  they  had  been  then  first  observed." 
The  act  of  appropriation  was  commemorated  by  an 
inscription  upon  a  copper  plate,  which  was  nailed  to 
a  tree.  One  year  later  a  Russian  captain  named 
Lutke,  also  landed,  and  left  upon  record  a  claim  of 
ownership  in  behalf  of  his  sovereign.  This  was 
written  upon  a  board  likewise  fastened  to  a  tree. 
During  all  this  period  the  islands  were  never  regu- 
larly inhabited,  unless,  perhaps,  at  some  early  and 
forgotten  date,  by  Japanese ;  but  in  1830,  a  party  of 
colonists  consisting  of  two  Americans,  one  English- 
man, one  Dane,  one  Genoese,  and  some  twenty-five 
or  thirty  natives  of  the  Sandwich  Islands,  arrived 
and  established  themselves  upon  Peel  Island,  the 
largest  of  the  central  group,  with  a  view  to  perma- 
nent residence.  The  Genoese  was  the  first  leader 
of  this  party.  In  the  course  of  a  few  years,  the 
five  whites  either  died'  or  withdrew,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  Nathaniel  Savory,  a  Massachusetts  man,  who 
thenceforward,  throughout  his  life,  was  recognized  as 
the  head  of  the  community,  which  was  from  time 
to  time  enlarged  by  stragglers  from  whaling  vessels. 
While  his  influence  lasted,  it  appears  that  a  fair 
system  of  order  and  propriety  prevailed ;  and,  in 
1853,  a  very  respectable  constitution  was  drawn  up 
for  the  organization  of  the  settlement.  Savory  being 
elected  chief  magistrate  over  the  eight  inhabitants 
of  American  or  European  birth.  In  addition  to  the 
reputable  whalers  who  sometimes  looked  in  upon 
them,  piratical  adventurers  made  occasional  descents, 
one  body  of  whom,  in  1849,  ransacked  the  village, 
plundered  all  the  available  property,  and  forcibly 
abducted  some  of  the  women. 

In  June,  1853,  Commodore   Perry,  with  a  part  of 
his    squadron,    arrived    at    Port    Lloyd,    the   harbor 


THE   OGASAWARA    ISLANDS.  319 

of  Peel  Island,  in  fulfilment  of  part  of  his  general 
purpose  of  exploration  in  this  vicinity.  He  found 
the  inhabitants  indisposed  to  acknowledge  the  au- 
thority of  England,  or  indeed  of  any  government, 
and  was  unable  to  discover  any  trace  of  the  copper 
plate  upon  which  Captain  Beechey  had  left  his  record 
in  1827.  This  may  perhaps  have  then  been  pur- 
posely concealed,  for  it  has  since  come  to  light,  and 
is  now  in  the  hands  of  the  British  authorities  in 
Japan.  It  was  a  significant  circumstance  that  the 
nomenclature  of  several  of  the  islands,  as  arranged 
by  the  British  navigator,  was  totally  disregarded  by 
the  occupants.  Peel  Island  (as  we  may  call  it  for 
the  sake  of  convenience)  was  the  only  one  then  set- 
tled ;  and  of  its  whole  area,  only  one  hundred  and 
fifty  acres  were  under  cultivation.  The  soil,  how- 
ever, was  very  prolific,  and  amply  supplied  the 
wants  of  the  little  colony.  But  to  add  to  their  com- 
forts, a  number  of  cattle  and  sheep  were  landed,  the 
latter  of  which,  it  may  be  observed,  have  since  in- 
creased to  enormous  numbers,  considering  the  limited 
space  to  which  they  are  confined.  Garden  seeds  of 
every  kind  were  also  distributed,  of  which,  for  a 
while,  good  use  was  made.  Commodore  Perry  was 
much  struck  by  the  importance  of  the  geographical 
position  of  these  islands,  and,  in  order  to  secure  a 
coaling  station  for  ships  of  the  United  States,  he 
purchased  a  title  to  a  suitable  piece  of  land  in  the 
excellent  harbor  of  Port  Lloyd.  This  transaction  led 
him,  not  long  after,  into  a  brief  controversy  with  the 
British  superintendent  of  Trade  at  Hong  Kong,  Sir 
J.  G.  Bonham.  That  official  communicated  .to  the 
Commodore  the  fact  that  he  had  been  instructed  by 
Lord  Clarendon,  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs,  to  ask 
for  information  as  to  the  object  in  view.      He   fur- 


320  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

thermore  advanced  a  formal  claim  to  the  islands, 
based  upon  Captain  Beechey's  proceedings ;  upon 
an  alleged  original  discovery  by  an  English  whaling 
ship  in  1825,  and  the  colonization  in  1830,  which,  it 
was  assumed,  was  undertaken  by  Englishmen.  In 
reply,  it  was  pointed  out  that  the  first  visit,  by  a 
Western  mariner,  was  that  of  the  American,  Coffin, 
and  that,  of  the  earliest  settlers,  the  larger  number 
were  Americans,  while  the  leader  was  a  Genoese. 
Commodore  Perry  therefore  declined  to "  acquiesce  in 
the  position  taken  by  Sir  George  Bonham.  He  had 
a  short  time  previously  sent  Commander  Kelly,  in 
one  of  his  ships,  to  take  possession  of  the  southern 
group  —  that  upon  wHich  Coffin  landed  —  in  the 
name  of  the  United  States.  This  was  done  in  Octo- 
ber, 1853,  and  a  new  chart  was  laid  out,  in  which  the 
name  given  by  Beechey,  "Bailey's  Islands,"  was  set 
aside,  and  that  of  "Coffin's  Islands"  substituted.- 
The  usual  formality  of  affixing  a  metal  plate  to  a  tree 
was  here  repeated.  Another  and  final  visit  by  one  of 
Perry's  squadron  was  made  in  April,  1854,  when  the 
settlers  expressed  a  desire  to  place  themselves  under 
the  American  colors,  and  a  flag  was  left  with  them  to 
be  displayed  as  occasion  might  arise. 

For  several  years  thereafter,  nothing  of  interest 
occurred  in  connection  with  the  Bonins.  Savory 
died,  and  the  creditable  attempt  at  self-government 
which  was  commenced  in  1853,  was  not  sustained. 
Peel  Island  gradually  became  a  resort  for  extremely 
questionable  characters,  and  reports  of  disorders  grew 
to  be  so  frequent,  that  in.  1861  an  inquiry  was  made 
—  by  Sir  Rutherford  Alcock,  the  British  Minister  — 
as  to  whether  the  Japanese  Government  was  prepared 
to  undertake  control  and  jurisdiction  there.  An 
affirmative  reply  was  given,  and  a  competent  officer 


THE    OGASAWARA    ISLANDS.  32 1 

was  despatched  to  assume  the  direction  of  affairs. 
Sixty  families  were  transported  thither,  to  form  the 
nucleus  of  a  colony.  A  form  of  local  administration 
was  established,  and,  for  a  brief  term,  maintained. 
But  this  was  just  at  the  time  when  the  internal  troub- 
les of  Japan  were  beginning,  and  it  was  soon  found 
impracticable  to  continue  the  arrangement.  The 
effort  toward  regular  occupation  was  given  up  within 
a  year.  After  that,  until  the  end  of  1863,  periodi- 
cal visits  of  inspection  were  made  by  officials  duly 
appointed  for  the  purpose.  At  last  these  ceased ;  the 
emigrants  were  brought  back  to  their  old  homes,  and 
the  Japanese  thenceforward  neglected  to  pay  any 
attention  to  this  comparatively  unimportant  station. 
They  left  behind  them,  instead  of  the  customary 
metal  sheet,  a  stone  monument,  with  an  inscription 
proclaiming  the  proprietorship  of  their  nation.  Four 
years  later  the  Government  of  the  Taikuns  fell,  and 
the  Imperial  party  on  resuming  the  executive  func- 
tions after  a  lapse  of  six  hundred  years,  had  no  leisure, 
in  its  pressure  of  urgent  business,  to  consider  a  detail 
so  trifling  as  the  management  of  the  Bon  in  Islands 
then  appeared.  The  subject  was  next  brought  into 
prominence  in  April,  1873,  when  a  certain  Captain 
Benjamin  Pease,  an  American,  called  upon  Mr.  De 
Long,  the  United  States  Minister  to  Japan,  to  make 
inquiries  on  his  own  account  as  to  the  sovereignty  of 
the  group.  This  Pease  appears  to  have  been  little 
better  than  a  freebooter.  He  owned  a  small  schooner, 
and  was  engaged  in  all  sorts  of  dubious  traffic  among 
the  islands  of  the  Pacific,  the  kidnapping  and  selling 
of  human  beings  occupying  his  chief  attention.  This 
was  probably  not  known  at  the  moment,  inasmuch  as 
Mr.  De  Long  undertook  to  investigate  the  subject  for 
hira.    It  appeared,  according  to  the  information  which 


322  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

he  brought,  that  there  were  then  upon  Peel  Island 
twenty-five  Americans,  seventeen  Englishmen,  four 
Frenchmen  and  a  considerable  number  of  Hawaiians 
and  others  —  all  living  in  a  state  of  lawless  irregular- 
ity. His  ostensible,  and  possibly  his  genuine,  motive 
for  inquiry  was  to  discover  if  any  means  of  preserving 
order  could  be  supplied.  Mr.  De  Long  wrote  to 
Secretary  Pish,  and  received  an  answer  dated  May  21, 
1873,  disavowing  all  responsibility  for  any  Americans 
that  might  be  on  the  islands,  and  declaring  that  the 
United  States  Government  would  not  undertake  to  pro- 
tect them.  Captain  Pease  had  previously  disappeared 
from  view,  carrying  with  him  two  Japanese  women, 
whom  he  decoyed  away  from  Yokohama.  At  the 
close  of  1873  intelligence  arrived  that  he  had  been 
murdered  by  some  of  his  fellow-islanders.  As  he  has 
not  since  been  seen,  the  report  is  believed  to  have 
been  correct. 

It  was  towards  the  end  of  1874  that  the  latest  phase 
of  the  subject  came  into  view.  Whether  it  was  then 
revived  by  foreign  agents  or  by  the  Japanese,  it  is 
difficult  to  say.  It  is  certain,  however,  that  from  the 
outset,  several  of  the  diplomatic  corps  were  extremely 
active  in  it.  As  soon  as  it  was  discovered  that  the 
Government  were  about  taking  steps  to  re-assert  their 
authority,  they  were  confronted  by  a  declaration  that, 
as  they  had  abandoned  the  islands  twelve  years  ago, 
they  could  not  now  reclaim  them.  In  response  to 
this,  it  was  stated  that  though  the  exercise  of  jurisdic- 
tion there  had  been  "neglected,"  the  rights  of  Japan 
had  never  been  "  abandoned,"  and  that  the  acts  in 
contemplation  were  not  in  the  nature  of  "reclama- 
tion," but  simply  a  resumption  of  powers  temporarily 
laid  aside.  The  obstacles,  however,  were  overcome 
without  serious  inconvenience.     In  November,  1874, 


THE   OGASAWARA    ISLANDS.  323 


a  commission  consisting  of  attaches  of  the  Interior 
and  Foreign  Departments,  and  under  the  direction  of 
an  officer  who  had  before  been  sent  from  the  capital 
in  1 86 1,  sailed  for  Peel  Island.  They  paid  little 
attention  to  the  northern  group  —  Parry's  Islands, 
according  to  Captain  Beechey  —  or  to  the  insignificant 
cluster  just  below  them,  these  being  uninhabited. 
They  landed  upon  Peel,  which  is  and  always  has  been 
called  by  the  Japanese  Chichi  Sima  (  Father  Island). 
Here  they  found  some  seventy  persons  of  various 
nationalities,  corresponding  pretty  nearly  to  the 
description  given  by  Pease  to  Mr.  De  Long.  Next 
visiting  Coffin's  group,  which  they  call  Haha  Sima 
(Mother  Island),  they  discovered  that  the  only  resi- 
dents were  one  couple  and  a  child.  These  were  all 
living  in  a  state  of  indigence  and  ignorance.  There 
was  no  pretence  of  social  law,  to  the  re-establishment 
of  which  a  stolid  indifference  seemed  to  be  shown. 
They  appeared,  however,  somewhat  gratified  at  the 
prospect  of  a  renewal  of  the  Japanese  rule,  for  the 
reason  that  the  chances  of  violent  misdeeds  would 
thereby  be  lessened.  The  reports  brought  back  by 
this  commission  respecting  the  physical  aspect  of  the 
islands,  were  almost  identical  with  that  of  Bayard 
Taylor,  written  in  1853.  The  productions,  as  may 
be  supposed,  had  somewhat  increased,  although  no 
endeavor  had  been  made  to  raise  more  than  would  be 
necessary  for  the  support  of  life.  In  the  way  of  veg- 
etables there  were  found  sweet  potatoes,  wheat,  corn, 
pumpkins,  onions,  taro,  sugar,  tomatoes  and  tobacco. 
Of  fruits  there  were  melons,  bananas,  lemons,  oranges, 
and  a  few  varieties  of  berries.  Of  animal  food  the 
supply  of  mutton  was  abundant,  but  there  were  also 
oxen,  hogs,  goats  and  poultry  upon  the  island. 

A  photographer  who  accompanied  the  commission 


324  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

brought  back  conclusive  proofs  of  the  romantic  and 
picturesque  character  of  the  scenery,  and  thereby 
•  confirmed  the  impressions  originally  made  upon  the 
public  mind  by  William  Heine  and  Bayard  Taylor, 
through  their  pencil  and  pen  contributions  to  the  his- 
tory of  Perry's  Expdition,  of  which  they  were  both 
most  useful  members. 

The  latest,  and  perhaps  the  best  account  yet  given 
to  the  public  of  the  Bonin  Islands,  was  written  by  Mr. 
Russell  Robertson,  of  Yokohama,  in  1876,  of  which  the 
foregoing  is  a  partial  summary,  printed  in  the  Tokio 
Times,  and  we  conclude  this  compilation  with  his  own 
final  observations  : 

"Popular  rumour  had  ascribed  to  the  Bonins  a 
colony  of  semi-savages,  murdering  one  another,  and 
altogether  leading  a  barbarous  existence.  I  found  a 
small  colony  of  settlers,  living  to  all  outward  appear- 
ances in  decency  and  order,  cleanly  in  their  attire, 
civil  in  their  address  and  comfortable  in  their  homes. 
Such  is  the  bright  side. 

"  The  dark  picture  is  the  utter  apathy  of  the  settlers ; 
their  indifference  to  any  thing  outside  of  what  goes 
to  satisfy  their  immediate  wants ;  their  suspicion  in 
some  cases  of  one  another.  No  religion,  no  education, 
old  men  and  women  hastening  to  their  graves  without 
the  one,  children  growing  up  without  the  other — and 
there  is  a  darker  picture  than  this.  This  paper 
records  the  fact  of  two  men  Gilley  and  Bob  ( so  called) 
having  fallen  by  the  hand  of  their  neighbours.  On 
the  ninth  of  October,  1874,  Benjamin  Pease,  a  resident 
at  Port  Lloyd,  disappeared,  and,  it  is  believed,  met  with 
a  violent  death,  while  on  the  eleventh  of  June,  1875, 
a  negro,  Spenser  by  name,  strongly  suspected  of  hav- 
ing been  Pease's  assassin,  also  disappeared,  receiving 
his  death  blow,  it  is  said,  at  the  hands  of  one  of  the 


THE   OGASAWARA    ISLANDS.  325 

residents.  I  was  informed  by  a  settler  that  during 
his  stay  on  the  Bonins,  now  extending  over  twenty- 
five  years,  no  less  than  eleven  men  had  met  with  vio- 
lent deaths.  I  would  not  have  it  assumed,  however, 
that  these  tragedies  are  to  be  ascribed  altogether  to 
the  bona  fide  resident  population,  if,  indeed,  the  word 
population  can  be  ascribed  to  such  a  little  band. 

"  It  must  be  remembered  that  the  component  parts 
of  the  population  are  a  few  old  residents,  a  few  com- 
paratively new,  some  born  on  the  Islands  and  now 
getting  on  in  years,  runaways  from  whalers,  and  men 
perhaps  purposely  left  behind,  and  these  latter,  we 
may  be  sure,  not  the  most  orderly  of  the  crew. 

"  I  trust  that  if  communication  comes  to  be  estab- 
lished with  these  islands  with  anything  like  regularity, 
that  the  claims  of  the  settlers  on  the  sympathies  of 
the  foreign  communities  of  Yokohama  and  Yedo  will 
not  be  overlooked,  and  that  an  attempt  at  ameliora- 
ting their  condition  will  be  made  from  one  or  both 
these  settlements,  if  not  indeed  generally  from  the 
open  ports  in  Japan.  I  can  vouch  for  it  that  kindly 
sympathy  expressed  either  in  word  or  deed  will  not  be 
inappreciated  there,  and  that  in  spite  of  many  draw- 
backs, there  are  as  warm  hearts  on  the  Bonins  as  any 
that  beat  amongst  ourselves." 


COREA. 

IN  1877  intelligence  reached  this  country  that  both 
England  and  Russia  had  expressed  their  inten- 
tion, without  being  invited  to  do  so,  to  participate 
with  Japan  in  the  advantages  of  opening  commercial 
intercourse  with  Corea.  The  question  is  one  of  con- 
siderable interest,  and  ^s  the  public  generally  know 
very  little  about  the  actual  condition  of  that  isolated 
kingdom  of  the  East,  we  submit  the  subjoined  par- 
ticulars, obtained  chiefly  from  Japanese  authorities. 

Prior  to  the  year  1876,  the  kingdom  of  Corea,  for- 
merly called  Kaoli,  but  now  Choseu,  or  Morning  Calm, 
was  virtually  the  only  country  on  the  globe  which 
was  disconnected  from  the  great  family  of  nations. 
It  is  true  that  it  paid  an  annual  tribute  to  China,  and 
had  a  little  trading  intercourse  with  the  frontiers  of 
Russia,  but  it  was  in  reality  an  isolated  and  un- 
known land.  In  the  year  just  mentioned,  however,  the 
Empire  of  Japan  succeeded  in  obtaining  or  regaining 
the  friendship  of  its  obdurate  neighbor,  and  in  negotiat- 
ing a  treaty  of  commerce,  public  relations,  navigation 
and  friendship.  On  several  occasions  during  the 
eight  perceding  years  efforts  had  been  made  by 
Japan  to  induce  her  nearest  neighbor  to  be  a  little 
more  sociable,  but  unkindness  and  insults  were  the  only 
results,  and  at  one  time  there  was  danger  of  war. 
But  Japan  was  magnanimous,  and  only  repeated  her 
friendly   offices.     The   excuse   given   by  the  Corean 

326 


COREA.  327 

Court  in  1875,  for  refusing  to  rec^ve  the  Japanese 
Ambassadors,  was  decidedly  Orientalish  :  "  You  come 
to  us,"  said  they,  "  in  clothes  of  the  West,  which 
smell  of  a  region  which  is  hateful  to  us.  Come  in 
the  costume  worn  by  your  fathers  and  we  will  receive 
you  as  we  have  done  before."  And  again,  when  the 
Japanese  envoys  presented  a  watch  and  a  gun  to  the 
Corean  king,  in  1876,  he  refused  at  first  to  accept 
them  because  they  were  inscribed  with  Roman  letters ; 
but  he  was  finally  induced  to  reconsider  his  decision, 
and  took  the  presents,  and  for  a  Gatling  gun  he 
returned  sixty  skins  of  the  tiger.  The  head  of  the 
Japanese  Embassy  here  mentioned  was  a  noted  man 
named  Kuroda  Kiyotaka,  the  Governor  of  Yesso,  and 
a  successful  general,  having  distinguished  himself  in 
the  late  Japanese  rebellion.  He  took  with  him  in  his 
retinue  an  experienced  photographer,  and  the  collec- 
tion of  portraits  and  landscape  scenes  thus  taken  is 
not  only  unique,  but  of  a  very  great  interest. 

Corea  is  a  vast  peninsula,  lying  between  the  Yellow 
Sea  and  the  Sea  of  Japan ;  and  although  its  exact  area 
has  never  been  decided,  it  is  estimated  in  round  num- 
bers to  be  about  six  hundred  miles  long  and  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty  miles  in  width,  excepting  on  the 
extreme  north,  beyond  the  peninsula  proper,  where  it 
measures  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles.  It  has 
a  rock-bound  coast,  is  highly  picturesque,  and  is 
bounded  on  the  west  and  south  by  many  small  islands, 
with  one  that  is  nearly  fifty  miles  long,  and  famous  as 
the  scene  of  many  shipwrecks.  It  lies  on  the  south, 
and  is  called  Que  (part ;  while  two  other  important 
islands  are  Kang-wha  on  the  west,  and  Ollong-to  on  the 
east,  and  they  are  all  thickly  inhabited.  The  whole 
surface  of  the  Corean  peninsula  is  mountainous,  some 
of  the  higher  elevations  reaching  nine  thousand  feet 


328  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

and  always  covered  with  snow  ;  and  while  the  north 
ern  portion  abounds  in  forests  of  pine  and  fir,  and  is 
sparsely  populated,  the  southern  part  has  but  few 
trees  and  is  to  a  great  extent  cultivated,  but  often 
sterile,  and  it  is  watered  by  the  following  large  rivers, 
namely  :  the  Kiang,  Kokwa,  Yaloo,  Piengang,  Dun- 
gang,  Tsin,  Tumen  and  the  Kangko,  as  well  as 
many  smaller  streams.  The  population  is  estimated 
to  be  about  eight  millions,  almost  universally  poor, 
and,  from  famine  and  pestilence,  is  said  to  be  on  the 
decrease.  The  towns  and  villages  numbering  three 
hundred  and  fifty,  are  chiefly  located  in  the  south,  and 
the  houses  are  not  only  small  and  rude,  but  very 
much  scattered.  The  national  capital  is  Kingkiato,  or 
Saoul,  and  is  located  near  the  centre  of  the  kingdom  on 
the  river  Kiang,  and  is  surrounded  with  a  low  wall  of 
masonry  five  miles  in  extent ;  and  it  contains  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  inhabitants.  The  only 
buildings  in  it  honored  with  tiled  roofs,  excepting  the 
King's  residence,  are  a  single  temple  and  one  Govern- 
ment Department.  The  fortified  portion  of  the  city, 
which  holds  the  King's  castle,  is  quite  imposing.  There 
is  a  high  wal),  built  with  cut  stone,  but  without  a  moat, 
and  open  spaces  are  left  for  guns,  or  for  archers  who 
do  the  principal  fighting  in  times  of  war.  The  houses 
outside  the  castle  gates  are  all  thatched  and  built  after 
one  general  pattern,  and  the  rural  homes  are  about  as 
desolate  as  many  of  the  inhabitants  are  shiftless  and 
improvident. 

Their  mode  of  paying  taxes  is  to  work  for  the  Gov- 
ernment three  months  in  every  year.  The  people  are 
barbarous  and  indolent,  know  a  little  of  the  Chinese 
language,  and  consider  Russia  the  greatest  power  in 
the  world.  The  country  is  divided  into  eight  prov- 
inces, each  one  having  a  governor,  and  its  ruler  is  a 


COREA.  329 


king  whose  despotism  is  unlimited,  and  who  claims  that 
his  kingdom  has  existed  for  four  hundred  and  eighty- 
six  years.  The  names  of  the  provinces  are  Kingki, 
Pingan,  Hoanghi,  Tchusin,  Tsulo,  Kinhan,  Kiang  and 
Hienkin.  The  officers  of  the  Government  are  exceed- 
ingly numerous  —  all  Government  orders  issuing  from 
a  Council  of  State,  assisted  by  six  ministers  —  and 
the  annual  expenses  out  of  all  proportion  to  the 
revenue,  which  is  limited  and  uncertain.  The  coun- 
try was  once  subjugated  by  the  Tartars,  then  passed 
under  the  control  of  China,  was  conquered  by  Japan 
in  A.  D.  200,  under  the  leadership  of  an  Empress,  and, 
as  already  stated,  now  pays  a  voluntary  tribute  to 
China,  and  is  bound  to  Japan  by  the  only  treaty  it 
has  made  in  modern  times. 

The  prevailing  language,  of  which  little  is  known, 
is  allied  to  the  Chinese,  though  claimed  to  be  a 
strict  idiom,  and  is  only  written  by  the  higher  classes. 
The  people  have  a  few  books,  which  are  printed  from 
wooden  blocks  ;  they  produce  pictures  on  screens, 
which  are  generally  in  India  ink,  but  sometimes 
highly  colored ;  and  their  printed  poetry  is  very 
limited.  They  boast  of  their  civilization,  calling 
America  and  other  western  countries,  '*  cross-lettered 
countries,"  and  they  claim  that  the  only  regions 
where  the  people  are  as  advanced  as  themselves,  are 
Japan,  China,  and  Loochoo,  or  Okinawa.  On  the 
other  hand,  one  of  the  foreign  officers  who  lately 
visited  Corea,  summed  up  his  opinion  of  the  kingdom 
in  these  words :  The  upper  classes  crush  the  lower 
classes  by  their  cruelty  ;  the  lower  classes  deceive 
their  official  superiors  by  calumny  and  flattery ;  and 
because  both  classes  are  hypocrites,  discord  and 
disorder  are  the  order  of  the  day. 

Hitherto  the   Corean   calendar  has  been  that  of 


330  LEADING    MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

China,  but  this  was  abandoned  at  the  signing  of 
the  treaty  of  1876,  the  Japanese  envoy  having 
insisted  that  the  country  must  henceforth  be  recog- 
nized as  entirely  independent.  When  the  aforesaid 
treaty  was  signed,  the  Japanese  officers  were  enter- 
tained with  a  repast,  at  which  an  unearthly  music 
was  performed,  and  the  following  dishes  were 
served,  viz. :  Confectionery  made  of  sugar,  flour  and 
oil;  boiled  eggs,  goma,  honey,  chestnuts,  dried  per- 
simmons, pine  seeds,  rice  cooked  in  red  gravy,  maca- 
roni soup,  with  fowl  and  boiled  pork,  all  of  them 
washed  down  with  a  native  wine  made  of  rice,  but 
inferior  to  the  Japanese  sake.  The  dishes  were  of 
earthen  ware,  the  tables  covered  with  oiled  paper, 
and  the  wine  was  offered  in  cups  made  of  copper. 
With  regard  to  the  merits  of  the  treaty  in  question, 
we  may  say  that  its  most  important  provisions  are 
that  three  ports,  including  Soris  in  Fusan,  which  had 
previously  been  visited  by  Japanese,  shall  be  opened 
to  the  commerce  of  Japan,  and  the  time  fixed 
for  going  into  complete  operation  was  about  the 
middle  of  the  year  1877,  when  an  envoy  might  be 
sent  from  Japan,  as  one  had  already  been  sent  to 
that  country  from  Corea ;  and  that  all  offenders 
against  the  treaty  belonging  to  Corea  or  Japan  shall 
be  punished  according  to  the  laws  of  their  respective 
Governments.  Another  provision  was  that,  as  the 
coasts  of  Corea  were  dangerous  for  navigation,  the 
Japanese  might,  if  they  should  desire  to  do  so,  survey 
these  coasts,  and  it  is  a  rare  evidence  of  enterprise 
that  the  best  map  of  the  whole  of  Corea  now  extant 
was  prepared  and  published  by  the  Japanese  authori- 
ties in  1876,  under  the  direction  of  the  War  Depart- 
ment. 

The  commerce  of   Corea  is  limited,  although  its 


COREA.  331 


capabilities  are  great,  and  its  chief  productions  are 
rice,  silk  of  an  inferior  quality,  good  cotton  and 
linen  cloths,  skins,  millet,  paper  which  is  of  superior 
quality,  pottery,  and  an  inferior  porcefain,  various 
kinds  of  drugs,  including  ginseng,  a  black  variety 
of  tobacco,  the  oil  of  goma,  fish  of  various  kinds,  and, 
what  is  rather  uncommon  in  the  far  East,  an  abundance 
of  good  beef  and  pork.  Minerals  are  said  to  exist  in 
abundance.  Many  of  the  hills  are  without  any  vege- 
tation, which  fact  gives  color  to  the  opinion  that  there 
is  much  mineral  wealth.  But  the  iron  mines  are  all 
that  are  now  worked ;  copper,  gold  and  silver,  if  they 
exist,  are  yet  untouched,  with  the  exception  of  a  little 
gold  dust,  which  has  been  annually  sent  to  China, 
and  some  black  lead.  Indeed,  the  people  have 
a  kind  of  superstition  against  the  precious  metals, 
and,  unlike  the  civilized  Americans,  have  a  contempt 
for  jewelry  and  ornaments.  The  copper  and  tin 
used  in  the  country  came  from  Japan,  and  out  of 
the  former  are  made  the  only  two  coins  used  in  the 
realm.  There  is  undoubtedly  much  coal  in  the 
country,  as  well  as  gold,  silver  and  copper,  and 
although  wood,  in  some  parts,  is  very  scarce,  coal 
does  not  seem  to  be  appreciated. 

The  Coreans,  in  their  persons,  are  a  stalwart  race, 
claim  to  be  warlike,  and  although  they  have  a  num- 
ber of  well-mounted  fortresses,  their  army  is  small. 
The  prevailing  religion  is  Buddhism,  but  the  temples 
are  comparatively  few,  and  none  of  them  are  noted 
for  their  beauty,  as  in  Japan  and  China.  In  imitation 
of  the  Japanese  they  once  did  a  large  business  in 
the  way  of  slaughtering  certain  Jesuit  missfonarics 
who  had  invaded  their  country,  and  made  many  con- 
verts. Like  the  Chinese,  they  keep  their  women 
secluded  from  the  gaze  of  strangers ;  they  are  often 


33^  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

untidy  in  their  personal  appearance,  and  afraid  of 
water  for  purposes  of  ablution  ;  as  to  their  clothing, 
their  upper  and  under  garments  are  white  and  with- 
out ornamental  work  ;  some  of  the  officials  wear  silk, 
the  common  people  cotton  ;  the  hats  worn  by  the 
men  are  black,  tall  and  stiff,  made  of  braided  horse- 
hair and  also  bamboo,  and,  like  the  Quakers,  they 
greet  their  friends  with  their  hats  on  their  heads ; 
the  men  wear  long  hair ;  the  women  dress  somewhat 
like  the  poorer  classes  among  the  Western  nations ; 
marriages  are  prohibited  between  relations  within  the 
fifth  degree,  but  take  place  at  an  early  age ;  men 
of  distinction  who  have'  died  are  kept  unburied  for 
one  or  two  years,  when  imposing  monuments  are 
erected  to  their  memory ;  and  it  was  because  some 
of  these  were  desecrated  by  the  men  of  a  foreign 
vessel  a  few  years  ago,  that  the  hatred  of  outside 
barbarians  was  greatly  enhanced.  Their  houses  are 
universally  one-story  high,  warmed  by  a  'fire  lighted 
underneath  their  floors  of  mortar,  and  are  without 
chairs  or  beds,  or  any  of  the  comforts  which  prevail 
in  most  other  countries.  Nor  are  they  any  better 
off  on  the  sea  than  on  the  land.  Their  largest  vessels 
are  not  over  fifty  feet  long.  They  are  built  without 
the  use  of  nails,  and  the  prow  and  stern  are  precisely 
alike.  For  masts  they  use  the  stems  of  trees  in  their 
natural  state,  and  the  sails  are  made  of  straw,  one  to 
each  boat,  and  that  very  near  the  stern,  and  although 
uncouth  to  foreign  eyes  they  are  managed  with  dex- 
terity and  accomplish  good  speed.  In  religion  they 
are  chiefly  Buddhists,  and  it  is  said  that  in  their 
monasteries,  there  are  many  thousand  priests.  The 
people  allege  that  in  ancient  times  they  did  not  lock 
their  doors  and  that  few  crimes  were  committed,  but 
that  the  introduction  of  modern  luxuries  has  caused  a 


CORE  A.  333 


great  change,  and  much  wickedness  prevails.  The 
three  leading  modes  of  punishment  are  decapitation, 
imprisonment  and  whipping  —  the  latter  being  very 
frequent  and  performed  with  a  kind  of  paddle.  To 
such  an  extent  is  this  kind  of  punishment  practised 
that  strangers  might  be  led  to  believe  that  it  is  a 
leading  occupation  of  the  people  ;  and  it  is  said  that 
when  a  punishing  officer  happens  to  neglect  his  duty, 
he  is  himself  ordered  to  lie  down,  when  he  is  also 
paddled  by  a  superior  official. 

In  its  natural  history  Corea  is  undoubtedly  an 
interesting  country.  The  bear,  the  deer  and  the 
wolf  abound  in  the  northern  forests ;  an  animal  re- 
sembling the  tiger  is  found  in  the  middle  regions, 
and  birds  of  many  varieties  are  numerous.  The 
domestic  animals  are  horses,  which  are  small ;  horned 
cattle  and  hogs,  which  are  abundant  ;  dogs  and  a 
g^eat  variety  of  fowls.  The  yak  is  also  found  in  the 
northern  parts,  and,  according  to  Commodore  Ammen, 
is  an  animal  that  should  be  domesticated  in  the 
country.  Sharks  of  immense  size  are  found  all  around 
the  coasts,  and  the  seal  and  other  fisheries  are  sus- 
ceptible of  being  made  a  source  of  wealth  if  they 
could  only  be  managed  according  to  modern  ideas. 
That  the  opening  of  Corea  to  the  commerce  of  the 
world  would  be  of  advantage  to  all  the  parties  con- 
cerned cannot  be  doubted,  and  .this  thought  carries 
us  back  to  what  Japan  has  accomplished  in  that 
direction.  Before  she  negotiated  the  late  memorable 
treaty,  her  ambassadors  were  told  that  they  must  not 
hope  to  gain  a  brain  victory  over  such  a  barbarous 
people  as  the  Coreans,  that  France,  England  and 
America  would  have  to  do  the  work  of  opening 
their  country  to  the  world,  and  that  Japan  must  be 
ready  to  fight  before  succeeding  ;  but  the  result  has 


334  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

proven  the  prophecy  to  be  at  fault.  As  Japan  had 
recently  become  a  convert  to  the  spirit  of  modern 
progress,  she  was  anxious  to  give  some  evidence  of 
her  own  faith,  and  not  only  determined  to  become, 
but  has  succeeded  in  becoming,  a  missionary  of  pro- 
gress ;  and  the  very  men  in  Japan  who  ridiculed  her 
aspirations  have  been  compelled  to  applaud  her  for 
her  wisdom  and  enterprise. 

With  regard  to  the  present  government  of  Corea 
we  have  but  little  to  communicate.  In  1864  the 
widow  of  a  former  king,  bearing  the  title  of  Queen 
Cho,  took  forcible  possession  of  the  great  seal  of  the 
kingdom,  and.  proclaimed  herself  Regent ;  soon  after- 
ward another  "  connection  of  the  family,"  named  Ni 
Kung,  went  to  work  and  did  the  same  thing;  and 
then  followed  a  bitter  quarrel  which  resulted  in  this 
curious  feast.  It  was  given  by  Queen  Cho,  and  the 
only  participants  beside  herself  were  the  opposition 
Regent,  Ni  Kung,  and  a  nephew  of  the  former,  and 
son  of  the  latter,  named  Cho  Sung,  whom  she  had 
intended  to  make  king.  When  they  were  all  seated 
she  announced  that  the  chief  ingredient  of  the  princi- 
pal dish  was  poison.  She  lamented  the  family  feuds, 
deplored  their  effect  upon  the  country,  and,  as  the 
only  way  out  of  the  difficulty,  she  suggested  a  joint 
suicide.  But  the  guests  objected,  and,  out  of  the 
feuds  which  followed  came  the  death  of  Queen  Cho, 
the  retirement  of  Ni  Kung  and  the  enthronement  of 
Cho  Sung,  the  present  ruler  of  Corea. 

Not  less  romantic  is  the  character  of  the  intercourse 
existing  between  China  and  Corea,  as  obtained  from 
a  Japanese  authority.  In  order  to  secure  as  complete 
an  isolation  as  possible,  Corea  has  always  decreed 
that  a  broad  belt  of  land  upon  her  northwestern  bor- 
der should  be  a  perpetual  desert,  and  notwithstanding 


COREA.  335 


the  richness  of  its  soil,  this,  until  recently,  has  been 
agreed  to  by  China.  If  cultivated  at  all  by  the  Chi- 
nese, it  has  been  done  by  stealth.  Upon  the  Chinese 
line  of  this  forbidden  space,  and  forty  miles  from  the 
Corean  boundary,  stands  a  little  village  called  the 
"Border  Gate,"  from  the  fact  that  it  contains  the  real 
and  only  opening  through  which  communication  has 
hitherto  been  permitted  between  the  two  nations. 
This  opening  is  in  the  central  compartment  of  a  small 
house,  which  is  occupied  by  the  customs  officials  of 
both  nationalities,  the  Coreans  residing  at  one  end 
and  the  Chinese  at  the  other,  with  an  eastern  and  a 
western  door.  These  are  opened  only  four  times 
a  year,  when  they  remain  unclosed,  for  traffic,  for  a 
total  period  of  ten  weeks,  the  keeper  of  these  doors 
being  a  Chinaman,  who  receives  a  salary  of  four  hun- 
dred taels  from  the  Corean  Government.  It  is  through 
this  gate  that  the  annual  embassy  from  Corea  to 
Peking  is  obliged  to  pass.  But  about  two  years  ago 
many  depredations  occurred  on  this  neutral  ground, 
committed  by  Coreans,  whereupon  the  Chinese 
authorities  became  exasperated  and  proceeded  to  take 
such  steps  as  would  result  in  the  cultivation  of  the 
disputed  territory,  so  that  the  abandonment  of  the 
Border  Gate  and  the  opening  of  the  country  to  Japan 
are  likely  to  be  remembered  as  the  representative 
facts  of  the  recent  history  of  Corea.  Another  of  the 
curious  customs  of  this  people  is  that  of  "  Fire  Sig- 
nals," which  are  used  to  announce  a  foreign  invasion. 
They  extend  from  the  Capital  to  the  sea  coasts,  and 
consist  of  fires  which  are  built  on  the  tops  of  the  hills 
and  mountains,  —  one  fire  meaning  peace  and"  two 
fires  danger  ahead.  These  beacons  are  lighted  every 
night,  and  this  system  of  telegraphing  has  existed  for 
centuries. 


336  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

But  during  the  year  1877,  Japan  succeeded  in 
making  a  second  treaty  with  Corea,  whereby  it  is 
assured  that  all  the  crews  of  foreign  vessels  wrecked 
upon  the  coast  of  that  country  shall  be  treated  with 
kindness,  and  be  assisted  in  pursuing  their  voyages. 
And  more  wonderful  than  that  is  the  fact  that  the 
Government  of  Corea,  for  the  first  time  in  its  history, 
has  actually  sanctioned  the  getting  up  of  a  national 
exhibition,  which  will  be  international  only  so  far 
as  respects  the  admission  of  Japanese  exhibitors. 
The  arrangements  were  assigned  to  an  influential 
mercantile  firm  in  that  country,  and  invitations  were 
sent  to  all  the  provinces  of  the  kingdom.  The  exhi- 
bition was  to  begin  in  October  of  the  current  year, 
and  is  supposed  to  be  in  full  blast  at  the  present 
time.  These  first  steps  of  Corea  out  of  darkness 
into  the  light  of  civilization  are  an  agreeable  evidence 
of  the  beneficial  influence  of  Japan  upon  her  Oriental 
neighbors. 

Among  the  Corean  islands,  to  which  reference  has 
already  been  made,  is  one  lying  south  of  the  peninsula, 
and  known  as  Ouelpart.  It  is  about  fifty  miles  long 
by  twenty-five  wide,  and  contains  perhaps  ten  thousand 
inhabitants.  It  is  traversed  by  a  range  of  mountains, 
one  of  which  is  six  thousand  feet  high,  and  its  eastern 
extremity  consists  of  a  lofty  and  picturesque  head- 
land, and  all  around  its  shores  are  to  be  rude  stone 
towers,  which  resemble  lighthouses,  but  are  really  noth- 
ing but  watch  towers.  Its  principal  town  is  called 
Chlegiufu,  and  surrounded  by  a  stone  wall ;  and  while 
its  chief  officials  are  Coreans,  the  majority  of  the 
people  are  natives  of  the  island.  Extensive  forests 
encircle  the  mountains ;  a  large  proportion  of  the 
country  is  cultivated  ;  the  principal  farm  productions 
are  wheat,  barley,  buckwheat  and  turnips  ;  the  more 


COREA.  337 


common  animals  are  small  horses,  cattle,  deer  and 
wild  hogs  ;  and  the  habits  of  the  people  are  allied  to 
those  which  prevail  on  the  neighboring  peninsula.* 

And  now  in  further  elucidation  of  the  character  of 
Corea,  we  append  the  following  from  the  Ogura  Com- 
pany residing  in  that  country,  which  was  published  in 
1877,  in  the  Choya  Shinbiin,  of  Tokio. 

"Fusankai  is  the  place  where  Japanese  subjects 
reside,  and  though  the  place  is  small  and  confined, 
it  has  pretty  well  assumed  the  appearance  of  a  commer- 
cial town.  There  are  two  streets  called  Bentencho 
and  Honch6  respectively.  On  the  seashore  are  numer- 
ous godowns,  with  a  line  of  houses  behind  them. 
The  office  of  the  Japanese  Consul  is  at  the  top  of 
Honchd,  and  looks  on  the  sea ;  right  and  left  are  fine 
pine  woods,  while  in  front  lies  spread  out  the  island 
called  Bokuto  (.'*),  presenting  thus  a  splendid  prospect. 
At  this  office  are  transacted  diplomatic,  domestic, 
judicial  and  police  affairs,  but  there  is  no  appearance 
of  a  great  pressure  of  work. 

**  Since  last  spring  the  stream  which  runs  through 
the  settlement  has  been  cleaned  out  and  the  streets 
cleared  of  dirt.  Great  attention  has  been  bestowed 
on  the  wells,  and  arrangements  made  for  clearing 
away  all  kinds  of  filth  in  times  of  pestilence,  and  in 
all  matters  great  improvements  have  been  effected  by 
the  efforts  of  the  Consul,  Mr.  Kond6.  There  is  a 
small  hill  on  the  seashore,  called  *  Dragon' s-tail  Hill,' 
from  which  the  view  is  very  fine,  but  the  Coreans  who 

*  As  the  commercial  world  has  long  felt  a  special  if  not  a  covetous  interest  in  Corea, 
the  following  particulars  bearing  on  iu  exports  to  Japan  in  1879,  are  not  without 
interest:  rice,  #179,309;  white  beans,  89,995 ;  bull  skins,  56,803;  gold  dust,  36,936; 
irico,  or  sea  weed,  16,047;  »•'>«  Roods.  «4.3»5;  bones  of  horses  and  bulls,  11,863; 
iron,  3,375;  funori,  or  sea  weed  starch,  9,358;  raw  silk,  4,920;  ogon,  800;  ogon 
powder,  3,454:  sardines,  1,465;  old  bronze,  3,630;  ^harkn' fins  >>768;  kantengusa, 
94S;  hooks,  945;  awabi  shells,  639 ;  oilcake,  565;  ginseng,  904;  and  wheat,  1,439:  or 
a  toul  of  exporu  of  #4)0,039;  while  the  imporu,  all  from  Japan,  amounted  to 


338  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

come  ashore  use  it  for  various  purposes,  the  conse- 
quence being  that  it  is  filthy  to  the  last  degree,  and 
the  stink  is  so  strong  as  to  be  injurious  to  health.  The 
Consul,  taking  this  to  heart,  has  cleared  away  the 
filth,  and  has  begun  to  convert  it  into  a  public  prom- 
enade for  tlie  residents. 

''  About  seventy-five  miles  to  the  north  of  Fusankai 
lies  a  place  called  Tekeup,  where  every  year  a  large 
fair  is  held  during  the  space  of  thirty  days  in  the 
second  and  tenth  months  according  to  the  old  calen- 
dar. They  call  these  the  Tekeup  fairs.  Merchants 
assemble  from  all  the  eight  provinces  of  Corea  at 
these  fairs,  and  Japanes'e  goods  are  principally  exposed 
for  sale ;  they  say  that  the  number  of  spectators  and 
purchasers  is  enormous.  It  is  also  said  that  a  great 
fair  for  the  exchange  of  merchandise  with  Chinese 
subjects  is  held  twice  a  year  at  Ichiu  and  Chanshieng, 
in  the  province  of  Piengan-to. 

''The  commerce  of  the  Coreans  passes  for  the  most 
part  through  the  hands  of  the  officials,  who  trade  under 
the  name  of  agent  of  the  governor  of  such-and-such  a  city. 
Most  of  the  men  who  deal  in  gold  dust  are  such  agents. 

'*  Produce  :  The  best  gold  dust  comes  from  Tan- 
chion  and  Shontayasan,  in  Hankieng-t6,  Niyonwon,  in 
Piengan-to,  Honchion,  in  Kangan-to,  and  Hanan,  in 
Kiengsan-to  and  a  little  is  also  said  to  be  produced  in 
Chenla-to.  Quantities  of  cotton,  fans  and  bullocks' 
hides  are  produced  in  Chenla-to.  The  best  ginseng 
comes  from  Kaiwhon  and  Rionshon,  in  Kiengki-to, 
while  the  best  bullock  hides  are  considered  to  be  those 
which  are  produced  in 

"  Coal  is  said  to  exist  at  Kirchiu,  in  Hankieng-t6, 
and  at  Urusan  and  Changki  in  Kiengsan-to.  Tiger 
skins  come  chiefly  from  Fwanha-to.  There  are  silver 
mines  in  Chenla-to. 


COREA.  339 


"  Great  strictness  is  observed  in  Corea  with  regard 
to  questions  of  religion.  .  Some  ten  years  ago  French 
missionaries  came  into  the  neighborhood  of  Kanghwa 
and  began  to  teach  their  doctrine,  but  on  account  of 
a  disposition  in  the  people  to  band  together  and 
obstruct  the  Government,  the  officials  drove  away 
some  (missionaries)  and  slew  others.  There  are  at 
the  present  time  about  thirty  or  forty  Buddhist  priests, 
chiefly  of  the  Zen  sect,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Fusankai- 
At  Chindzu,  in  Kiengsandd,  there  is  a  large  monastery 
containing  about  three  thousand  monks.  If  they  are 
all  like  this  it  must  be  something  wonderful. 

"  Inside  the  settlement  is  a  building  which  was 
formerly  a  Buddhist  monastery,  called  Tokoji.  Previ- 
ously to  the  Restoration  of  the  Mikado  it  was  an 
agency  of  the  monastery  of  Saisanji,  in  the  island  of 
Tsushima,  and  a  new  abbot  was  sent  thence  every 
three  years.  It  is  said,  however,  that  the  monastery 
had  very  little  work  to  do,  beyond  examining  the 
composition  and  interpreting  the  meaning  of  the  let- 
ters sent  by  the  Coreans  and  by  the  Government, 
and  at  present  there  is  no  such  work  at  all.  This 
ex-monastery  is  under  the  jurisdiction  of  our  Consul- 
ate, and  is  said  to  be  used  now  and  then  as  temporary 
quarters  for  our  naval  forces.  Up  to  the  present 
moment  no  Japanese  monastery  has  been  provided. 

"About  three  hundred  and  sixty  yards  north  of 
this  ex-monastery  is  the  Japanese  cemetery.  In 
former  days  the  prince  of  Tsushima  had  the  Japanese 
settlement  enclosed,  and  protected  by  a  guard,  and 
the  Coreans  gave  the  name  of  Poppei  (a  corruption  of 
bampei,  guards)  to  the  cemetery,  from  the  circum- 
stance of  its  being  situated  alongside. 

"The  oppressive  character  of  the  Corean  Government 
in  its  dealings  with  the  people  is  such  that  they  seem 


340  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

most  like  mutual  foes,  nor  have  the  people  the  slight- 
est idea  of  such  a  thing  as  a  *  right.'  Being  ensnared 
by  an  oppressive  system,  they  habitually  resign  them- 
selves to  their  poverty,  and  take  their  hard  circum- 
stances quietly.  If,  which  seldom  happens,  there  be 
a  wealthy  man,  the  Government  urgently  commands 
him  to  make  them  a  present  of  money,  and  to  such  as 
obey  the  command  they  grant  a  patent  of  rank.  But 
if  he  refuses,  the  district  officials  put  pressure  upon 
him,  and  in  some  cases  go  so  far  as  to  inflict  punish- 
ment. For  this  reason  the  people  preferring  rather 
to  lie  down  in  poverty  than  to  be  punished  for  being 
rich,  make  idleness  their  chief  occupation.  The 
whole  nation  is  stupid  and  ignorant,  and  the  only 
matter  in  which  they  excel  is  cunning.  In  commerce 
they  make  a  practise  of  fraud  and  treachery,  nor  do 
they  feel  any  shame  when  reproached  therefor. 

"  The  heartlessness  of  the  Government  is  indescrib- 
able. Although  crowds  of  people  were  dying  of  hun- 
ger by  the  roadside  during  the  famine  of  last  year,  they 
took  not  the  slightest  heed  of  their  sufferings.  And 
because  the  spiritless  and  powerless  people  never  took 
it  into  their  heads  to  brandish  bamboo-spears  and 
wear  mat-banners  (figurative  expression  for  an  insur- 
rection of  a  pauper  population),  and  to  reproach  the 
Government  for  not  giving  them  help  and  succor,  the 
Government  were  perfectly  at  ease  in  their  own  minds, 
and  pretended  to  be  glad  that  the  people  were  enjoy- 
ing the  blessings  of  peace,  and  patting  well-filled 
bellies.  It  is  impossible  to  describe  in  language  the 
unfortunate  condition  of  the  people  who  are  born 
under  such  a  Government.  It  suggests  a  doubt 
whether  the  Creator  is  not  sometimes  unjust. 

"  The  Coreans  as  a  general  rule  are  very  particular 
about  forms   of  salutation,  and  they  will  spend   the 


COREA.  341 


whole  day  talking  with  pen  and  paper  ( /.  e.  writing 
down  what  they  want  to  say  in  Chinese,  which  is 
understood  by  the  Japanese).  Our  people  are  very 
much  annoyed  with  their  long  visits.  Although  they 
are  very  polite  in  their  pen  and  paper  talk,  their 
manners  are  extremely  bad,  for  some  of  them  sit 
cross-legged,  and  others  converse  standing.  Servant 
and  master  sit  down  together  in  the  same  company, 
and  no  distinction  seems  to  be  observed  between 
noble  and  mean. 

**  It  is  probably  owing  to  the  famine  of  last  year 
that  there  are  so  many  thieves.  Cases  of  shoplifting 
are  extremely  frequent,  and  they  surpass  even  the 
*  Little-boy  Rat '  ( nickname  of  a  famous  thief )  in  the 
practise  of  that  art.  They  will  take  a  pen  in  the  right 
hand,  and  put  down  the  language  of  the  most  hon- 
ored sages,  while  with  the  left  they  are  practising  the 
style  of  the  '  Little-boy  Rat.  '  One  has  to  keep  a 
sharp  lookout. 

"All  the  men  are  lazy,  and  the  women  work  to  sup- 
port the  men.  In  Occidental  countries  men  and 
women  have  equal  authority;  in  Japan  the  men  are 
absolute,  while  in  Corea  the  women  exercise  all  the 
power,  so  wonderful  are  the  species  of  rights.  Every 
man  has  a  wife  and  a  concubine ;  rich  men  from  three 
to  five  of  the  latter,  while  many  noble  officials  have 
six,  seven,  or  even  ten. 

"  If,  as  seldom  happens,  a  benevolent  person  among 
the  population  builds  a  house  called  a  depot,  and  dis- 
tributes food  to  the  poor  in  seasons  of  scarcity,  they 
coolly  devour  what  is  given  them,  without  the  slightest 
expression  of  gratitude. 

"  According  to  Corean  law  no  woman  may  enter  the 
Japanese  settlement,  but  since  the  famine  of  last  year 
many  women  have  come  in  secretly  at  night  to  beg 


342  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

for  food.  *  *  *  *  In  consequence  of  the  crews 
of  our  vessels,  and  our  residents  taking  pity  on  them, 
and  giving  them  food,  it  is  difficult  to  get  rid  of  them, 
and  an  institution  is  growing  up  like  that  of  the 
"  sheep  "  at  Yokohama.  This  state  of  things  having 
been  discovered  by  the  Corean  officials,  policemen 
have  come  in  from  Tongkua,  and  arrested  five  women. 
It  is  said  that  according  to  Corean  law  they  will  be 
decapitated,  a  dreadful  thing  indeed. 

"There  is  a  hospital  in  the  Japanese  settlement 
under  the  charge  of  Mr.  Yano,  a  naval  surgeon. 
Japanese  and  Coreans  are  equally  attended  to,  and 
great  success  has  been  pbtained  in  the  treatment  of 
epidemic  disease,  such  as  that  which  has  been  preva- 
lent this  year.  The  Coreans  are  much  astonished, 
and  think  that  there  must  be  something  supernatural 
in  the  treatment. 

"  There  was  a  Corean  patient  who  had  a  paralyzed 
arm  from  the  effects  of  rheumatism  during  a  long 
period  of  years.  This  man  applied  to  the  hospital  for 
treatment.  The  chief  of  the  hospital  passed  a  cur- 
rent through  his  arms  by  means  of  an  electrical  ma- 
chine, and  the  limb  which  had  been  useless  for  so 
many  years,  recovered  its  powers  again.  The  patient 
was  astounded  and  said  :  "  This  man  is  Shinneng 
(Chinese  god  of  medicine)  come  to  life  again ;  "  and 
in  the  excess  of  his  joy  he  became  as  one  mad. 

"  As  to  the  dress  of  the  Coreans,  the  men  look  like 
Shint6  priests  dressed  in  hitatare,  the  women  being 
dressed  like  servant  girls  in  Europe.  They  wear 
tight  sleeves  and  wide  plaited  trousers. 

"  A  great  many  Corean  beggars  come  into  the  settle- 
ment to  ask  for  food.  Some  die  by  the  roadside. 
The  Japanese  have  agreed  together  to  give  them  raw 
and  boiled  rice ;  the  Ogura  Company  gave  a  quantity 


COREA.  343 


of  corn  (wheat  or  barley).     The  Coreans  say  'The 
merchant  of  the  Eastern  capital  is  good.'  " 

The  Corean  wild  animals  are  the  tiger,  leopard  and 
wild  cat,  which  has  hair  like  the  tiger  and  is  shaped 
like  the  tanuki  (a  species  of  wild  dog).  There  is  also 
a  tree-mouse  and  an  animal  like  the  kangaroo  .of  Aus- 
tralia. Its  forelegs  are  short,  its  hind  legs  long,  with 
a  sack  in  its  belly,  into  which  it  puts  its  young.  The 
Corean  name  of  this  is  unknown  to  us. 


In  view  of  the  fact  that  Corea  is  to-day  the  only 
country  on  the  globe  which  refuses  to  have  any  inter- 
course with  the  world  at  large,  the  interest  generally 
felt  in  its  history  is  .something  quite  unusual  ;  and  as 
Japan  is  the  only  nation  which  has  any  official  rela- 
tions with  this  "sealed  Empire,"  the  subjoined 
additional  facts  obtained  from  a  reliable  Japanese 
authority,  cannot  but  be  acceptable  to  the  Western 
public. 

The  first  instance  of  formal  intercours'e  between 
the  two  countries  authentically  recorded,  occurred  in 
the  reign  of  the  Mikado  Suijin,  the  tenth  of  the 
dynasty  which  still  holds  the  throne  of  Japan,  thirty- 
three  years  before  Christ.  At  this  time  a  messenger 
from  Amana,  one  of  the  kingdoms  into  which  Corca 
was  then  subdivided,  visited  Japan  bearing  presents, 
and  expressing  a  desire  for  the  interchange  of  such 
evidences  of  mutual  good  will  as  were  then  recog- 
nized. This  is  believed  to  have  been  the  first  occasion 
of  a  political  visitation  from  any  nation,  and  may  per- 
haps have  been  prompted  by  the  wid,e-spread  repu- 
tation of  Suijin  for  warlike  enterprise.  He  was 
the  originator  of  the  office  and  title  of  "  Siogun," 
which  he  conferred,  not  upon  one  person  alone,  as 
was  the  custom  in  later  years,  but  upon  no  less  than 


344  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

four  military  commanders,  all  of  whom  were  members 
of  his  own  family.  The  route  taken  by  this  earliest 
of  Corean  embassadors,  brought  him  to  the  place 
now  known  as  Tsuruga,  in  the  province  of  Echizen. 
The  envoy  remained  three  years,  and,  according  to 
the  ancient  chronicles,  was  looked  upon  as  the  repre- 
sentative of  a  country  that  acknowledged  itself  to  be 
tributary.  In  the  reign  of  the  following  Mikado, 
Suinin,  a  messenger  from  the  more  powerful  nation 
of  Sinra  appeared,  bringing  tokens  of  amity  in  the 
shape  of  mirrors,  jade-stones,  and  various  richly 
decorated  weapons.  These  friendly  advances  do  not 
appear  to  have  long  retarded  the  aggressive  disposi- 
tion of  the  Japanese  rulers.  It  is  related  that  a  son 
of  the  twelfth  sovereign,  Keiko,  led  an  army  through 
various  kingdoms  of  Corea,  in  the  first  century  of 
our  era,  and  reduced  them  all  to  submission  —  but 
this  is  less  clearly  established  than  other  events  of 
the  period.  The  expedition  of  the  Empress  Jingo, 
in  the  thirS  century,  however,  is  universally  accepted 
as  an  historical  fact.  This  Amazonian  ruler  overran 
the  whole  of  the  peninsula,  and  brought  it  to  such  a 
state  of  subjection  that,  for  ages  after,  no  thought 
of  omitting  the  regular  tributary  embassies  was  ever 
entertained.  They  were  continued  without  inter- 
ruption until  toward  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century, 
when  the  Coreans  manifested  a  preference  for  China. 
The  military  chieftain  of  that  date,  Hideyoshi,  sent 
formidable  armies  to  chastise  them,  and,  notwith- 
standing a  stubborn  resistance,  in  which  forces  from 
China  were  joined  to  those  of  Corea,  he  not  only 
secured  a  renewal  of  the  periodical  tribute-bearing 
messengers,  but  held,  for  several  years,  a  large 
part  of  territory  as  well.  The  war  which  ended  in 
his  triumph  was,  by  the  accounts  of  both  Japanese 


COREA.  345 


and  Chinese  historians,  one  of  the  most  sanguinary 
upon  record. 

One  of  its  memorials  may  be  seen  to  this  day,  at 
Kioto,  in  the  extraordinary  mound  wherein  the  ears 
of  a  vast  number  of  slaughtered  Coreans  —  sixty 
thousand,  it  is  said  — were  buried. 

During  the  greater  part  of  the  rule  of  the  Tokugawa 
family  in  Japan,  the  regular  transmission  of  costly 
presents  was  continued.  Some  of  these,  which  were 
sent  to  lyeyasu  in  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth 
century,  are  to  this  day  visible  in  and  around  the  great 
temples  of  Nikwo.  Again,  for  many  scores  of  years, 
the  messengers  of  conciliation  brought  their  offerings, 
and  the  practise  was  not  understood  to  be  set  aside 
until  after  the  overthrow  of  the  Siogun,  in  1868. 
But  even  before  that  time,  it  had  been  suffered  to  lose 
much  of  its  form  and  stateliness,  and  had  altogether 
ceased  to  be  a  direct  visitation  to  the  true  sovereigns 
of  the  Empire,  none  of  whom  were  approached  by 
the  representatives  of  Corea.  It  is  doubtful,  indeed, 
if  the  court  at  Kioto  ever  even  heard  of  the  time 
of  their  coming  for  a  couple  of  centuries  or  more. 
The  Tokugawas,  in  their  might,  ordained  that  journeys 
of  congratulation  should  be  made,  not  upon  occasions 
of  the  Imperial  succession,  but  upon  the  assumption  of 
power  by  each  of  the  hereditary  chieftains  of  their 
house.  All  tenders  of  courtesy  were  proffered,  there- 
fore, to  the  heads  of  the  clan  whose  seat  was  Yedo. 
The  visitors  were  brought,  by  nearly  the  same  route 
as  the  Dutch  travellers,  to  this  city,  until  nearly  half 
a  century  ago,  when  their  reception  was  found  to 
involve  such  heavy  and  increasing  expenses,  all  of 
which  fell  upon  Japan,  that  the  plan  of  cutting  short 
the  journey  at  the  outskirts  of  the  Empire  was  pro- 
posed and  adopted.    The  envoys,  with  their  attendants. 


34^  LEADING    MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

sometimes  formed  a  body  of  between  three  and  four 
hundred  men. 

At  last,  in  1837,  when  the  Siogun  lyeyosi  succeeded 
to  office,  the  voyage  was  so  far  shortened  that  the 
Coreans  were  required  to  come  only  as  far  as  the 
Island  of  Tsu,  which  lies  midway  between  the  two 
nations.  After  that,  no  official  visits  were  made 
during  the  Siogunate.  The  rulers  of  the  neighboring 
kingdom  had  little  disposition  to  repeat  thfem,  and 
when  the  next  regular  occasions  returned,  the  authori- 
ties of  Yedo  were  too  busily  occupied  with  complications 
in  which  Western  nations  were  concerned  to  attempt 
to  exercise  compulsion.  After  the  Restoration  of  i  S68, 
when  the  Emperor  was  firmly  re-seated  in  the  Eastern 
capital,  Corea  was  invited  to  revive  the  old  methods 
of  intercourse.  This  appeal,  however,  was  not  re- 
sponded to  with  cordiality.  The  Japanese  settlement 
upon  the  territory  of  Corea  had,  indeed,  never  been 
surrendered,  and  was  still  occupied  for  purposes  of 
traffic ;  but,  while  no  desire  to  break  up  this  connection 
was  manifested,  the  proposition  to  renew  the  periodical 
embassies  was  virtually  rejected. 

For  several  years  prior  to  1877,  the  controlling 
power  of  the  Kingdom  of  Corea  had  been  in  the 
hands  of  individuals  whose  connection  with  public 
affairs  began  in  1864.  Chul  Chong,  the  predecessor 
of  the  sovereign  now  reigning,  died  in  that  year, 
leaving  no  descendants.  It  is  the  custom  of  the 
country  for  the  monarch  to  nominate  a  successor 
from  among  his  children,  if  there  be  any,  and  if  not, 
from  among  his  surrounding  relations.  In  this  case, 
however,  the  death  was  sudden,  and  no  appointment 
was  made  in  the  usual  and  expected  way. 

Certain  insignia  are  associated  with  the  possession 
of  Corean  sovereignty,  especially  a  Great  Seal,  which, 


COREA.  347 


in  the  event  of  direct  succession,  is  delivered  to  the 
acceding  king,  if  he  be  of  age,  or  to  one  of  the  wives 
of  the  king  who  has  just  died,  if  the  new  comer  be 
an  infant.  This  is  not  understood  to  be  an  unalter- 
able rule,  but  long  usage  has  given  it  a  traditional 
force  which  makes  it  equivalent  to  established  law. 
The  control  of  the  vacant  throne  became,  in  1864,  a 
subject  of  desperate  intrigue,  in  which  many  prom- 
inent nobles  took  part,  and  which  threatened,  for  a 
while,  to  throw  the  country  into  a  state  of  anarchy. 
Of  the  leaders  in  the  dispute,  three  queens  were  the 
most  conspicuous.  These  were  the  widows  of  Chul 
Chong,  just  deceased,  and  the  two  preceding  rulers. 
The  matter  was  at  last  summarily  determined  by  the 
eldest  of  the  dowagers.  Queen  Cho,  who  laid  forcible 
hands  upon  the  Great  Seal,  and,  armed  with  this 
indisputable  emblem  of  authority,  proclaimed  herself 
Regent.  Precedents  and  formulas  go  a  great  way  in 
lands  like  Corea,  but  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that 
the  contest  which  was  raging,  would  have  been  so 
easily  terminated  by  a  coup  de  main  if  the  ambitious 
woman  had  not  been  strongly  supported.  She  had 
certainly  the  advantage  of  age  and  experience,  and 
no  person  who  has  examined  the  processes  by  which 
government  control  is  secured  on  the  Asiatic  conti- 
nent, is  unaware  of  the  power  which  these  afford. 

The  recent  resumption  of  Imperial  sway  in  China 
by  two  dowagers,  when  the  young  Empress  was  per- 
mitted to  die  before  her  consort  was  cold  in  his  grave, 
is  a  case  in  point.  Queen  Cho  had  been  more  or  less 
familiar  with  public  business  for  a  third  of  a  century. 
.She  was  the  widow  of  Ik  Chong,  whose  reign  ter- 
minated in  1830,  and  the  mother  of  Hen  Chong,  who 
acceded  in  1834,  From  this  date  until  1848,  her 
influence  was  always  indirectly  manifest,  but  in  that 


34^  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

year,  when  Chul  Chong  was  appointed,  she  became 
less  prominent,  and  gradually  appeared  to  have  aband- 
oned all  thoughts  of  supremacy.  Chul  Chong  was 
not  a  near  relation  of  hers,  having  been  selected  out 
of  the  direct  line,  as  his  predecessor  left  no  issue. 
He  was  therefore  placed  in  a  position  where  he  could 
resist  or  evade  her  manoeuvres,  in  case  she  had 
attempted  to  guide  him  according  to  her  will.  But  it 
does  not  appear  that  she  made  any  serious  effort  of  the 
kind.  It  was  not  until  the  energetic  act  above  described 
after  the  death  of  Chul  Chong,  that  she  gave  evidence 
of  an  unchanged  spirit  and  a  determination  to  establish 
herself,  at  once  and  finally,  as  the  dominant  power 
in  the  nation.  Having  seized  the  Seal  she  first  rid 
herself  of  the  inconvenient  rivalry  of  the  two  other 
queens  —  one  of  whom,  at  least,  the  young  widow, 
was  a  woman  of  acknowledged  ability  —  by  placing 
them  in  confinement,  and  then  looked  about  her  for 
a  suitable  occupant  of  the  throne,  to  reign  under  her 
management  and  dictation.  Her  preference  was  for 
one  of  her  nephews  named  Cho  Sung,  a  youth  of 
some  attainments  and  considerable  promise,  who,  in 
more  recent  times,  has  gained  notoriety  in  a  way  that 
will  be  described  hereafter.  But  Cho  Sung  was  not 
sufficiently  near  to  the  hereditary  line  of  sovereigns 
to  make  the  experiment  a  safe  one.  He  was  not,  in 
fact,  a  member  of  the  one  eminent  family,  which  alone 
is  supposed  to  be  eligible.  After  consultation  with 
her  advisers,  the  Queen  concluded  to  waive  her  incli- 
nations, and  to  nominate  a  child  twelve  years  old,  too 
young  to  have  a  voice  of  his  own  in  the  administra- 
tion of  affairs.  This  was  the  son  of  a  royal  prince 
named  Ni  Kung,  who,  like  the  renascent  Queen,  had 
long  been  looked  upon  as  indifferent  to  the  sources 
of  supreme  authority,  so  long  as  his  individual  com- 


CORE  A.  349 

fort  and  dignity  were  well  assured.  Thus  the  sway 
of  the  dowager  Cho  appeared  to  be  substantially 
settled.  She  had  not  ventured  to  defy  the  opinions 
of  the  higher  classes  by  making  her  favorite  nephew 
king,  but  she  kept  him  within  her  court,  and  allowed 
him  to  share  the  privileges  of  her  exalted  station.  It 
would  be  years  before  the  real  sovereign  would  be 
able  to  assume  control  on  his  own  account,  and  no 
interference  was  to  be  apprehended  from  his  father, 
who  was  outside  the  pale  of  politics. 

This  was  Queen  Cho's  dream,  but  it  was  too  bright 
to  last.  The  King's  father,  watching  his  opportunity, 
got  possession  of  the  Seal,  and  then  commenced  a 
series  of  pitiless  descents  upon  all  those  who  pre- 
sumed to  array  themselves  in  opposition  to  his  new 
claims.  The  onslaught  was  as  triumphant  as  it  was 
abrupt  and  unlooked  for.  Ni  Kung  at  once  obtained 
control  of  the  kingdom,  which  he  continued  to  hold 
without  effective  molestation  until  the  autumn  of 
1873.  He  governed  with  extreme  severity,  and  it 
is  said  that  the  harshest  administration  previously 
known,  was  mild  in  comparison  with  his  despotic 
rule.  All  classes  were  speedily  embittered  against 
him,  but  the  dexterity  and  ingenuity  by  which  he 
surrounded  himself  with  impenetrable  methods  of 
self-protection  were  sufficient  to  baffle  all  their 
schemes  of  retaliation.  Circumstances  of  external 
contact  combined,  moreover,  to  add  to  his  prestige 
and  augment  the  power  he  had  invested  himself 
with.  The  French  and  American  visitations  were 
made  during  his  regime,  and  these,  being  resisted 
with  what  passed  for  magnificent  success  among  the 
people,  were  employed  by  him  as  new  elements  of 
personal  glorification.  These  repulses  of  foreigners, 
as  the  events  were  represented  to  have  been,  were 


350  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

achievements  all  in  keeping  with  the  national  senti- 
ment, and  they  added  to  his  fame  and  strength,  in 
spite  of  the  hatred  he  had  incurred.  In  the  same 
spirit,  though  not  with  violence,  he  caused  the  several 
endeavors  of  the  Japanese  towards  renewed  inter- 
course, to  be  repelled.  It  appears  that  he  spared  no 
effort  to  preserve  the  conservative  traditions  of  the 
kingdom  in  an  unbroken  perfection.  At  home  he 
tyrannized,  oppressed,  extorted  and  persecuted  without 
limit.  Abroad,  he  recognized  no  possible  contiguity 
except  that  of  China;  and  even  with  that  country 
the  relations  were  so  jealously  guarded  that  they 
could  only  be  considered  as  strictly  formal,  and  not 
in  any  just  sense  friendly. 

To  explain  the  temper  of  the  Coreans  respecting 
the  outside  world,  even  as  regards  their  "most  fav- 
ored" nation,  it  may  be  interesting  to  state  briefly 
the  manner  in  which  the  connection  with  China  was 
maintained.  In  order  to  secure  as  complete  an  isola- 
tion as  possible,  Corea  has  always  decreed  that  a 
broad  belt  of  land  upon  the  further  side  of  her  border 
shall  be  a  perpetual  desert,  and  this  has  been  agreed 
to  until  a  very  recent  period,  by  China,  notwithstand- 
ing the  fact  that  the  soil  of  the  vacant  territory  is 
extermely  fertile.  A  few  Chinese  risk  their  lives  by 
cultivating  small  patches  of  this  neutral  ground,  but 
they  do  not  venture  to  live  there,  and  only  plant  and 
gather  their  produce  by  stealth. 

Upon  the  Chinese  or  Manchurian  line  of  the  for- 
bidden space,  forty  or  fifty  miles  distant  from  the 
Corean  boundary,  stands  a  little  village  known  as 
"  Border  Gate,"  from  the  circumstance  that  it  contains 
the  real  and  only  opening  through  which  communica- 
tion is  permitted  between  the  two  nations.  This  is 
described  as  being  in  the  central  compartment  of  a 


COREA.  351 


small  house,  which  is  occupied  by  the  customs' 
officials  of  both  nationalities.  At  one  extremity  the 
Coreans  reside ;  at  the  other,  the  Chinese.  An 
apartment  in  the  middle  is  devoted  to  the  ax:tual 
business  of  collecting  taxes. 

The  term  **  Border  Gate "  has  probably  a  wider 
significance  than  the  precise  meaning  of  the  words 
would  convey,  but,  in  point  of  fact,  there  are  two 
doorways,  one  at  each  end  of  this  interior  room, 
respectively  under  control  of  the  representatives 
from  east  and  west.  These  are  opened  only  four 
times  a  year  :  —  in  the  third  month  of  the  Chinese 
calendar,  when  they  remain  unclosed  for  traffic  dur- 
ing about  ten  weeks ;  in  the  eighth  month,  for 
three  weeks  ;  in  the  ninth  month,  for  six  weeks,  and 
in  the  twelfth  month,  for  twenty-five  days.  The  first 
and  third  of  these  occasions  are  considered  of  supe- 
rior importance,  and  the  gates  are  unlocked  by  the 
principal  magistrate  of  Fung  Wang  Cheng,  the  near- 
est Manchu  town,  who  receives  a  present  of  four 
hundred  taels  from  the  Corean  official  who  leads  his 
deputation.  The  second  and  fourth  are  of  less  mo- 
ment, and  the  duty  is  performed  by  a  subordinate,  to 
whom  two  hundred  taels  are  presented. 

It  is  obvious  from  this,  that  the  Coreans  look  upon 
the  periodical  opportunities  for  trade  as  privileges 
worth  paying  for,  although  their  Government  binds 
them  within  such  narrow  limits.  At  these  periods, 
only,  is  the  interchange  of  commodities  allowed,  and 
it  may  be  mentioned  that  these  commodities  are 
very  few  in  number;  skins,  hair,  ginseng  and  gold 
on  the  Corean  side,  and  the  simplest  articles  of  pro- 
duce on  the  other.  Western  cottons  are  greatly 
desired  by  the  former,  but  the  Government  restric- 
tions upon  the  admission  of  European  manufactures 


352  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

are  so  severe,  that  little  can  be  done  in  this  way. 
Political  communications  are  regulated  with  the  same 
caution  and  reserve. 

The  chief  annual  embassy  to  Peking  passes  through 
the  Gate  when  it  is  opened  in  the  ninth  month. 
Other  visitations  are  said  to  take  place  each  year, 
but  they,  are  merely  journeys  of  routine,  and  no 
importance  is  attached  to  them. 

Such  being  the  rigorous  seclusion  in  which  these 
people  entrench  themselves  in  distrust,  if  not  defiance, 
of  the  neighbor  for  which  they  profess  a  certain 
degree  of  regard,  it  may  be  imagined  what  their  feel- 
ing is  toward  other  and 'remoter  nations.  The  system 
of  seclusion  has  not  been  materially  changed  for 
centuries  ;  but  it  will  not  be  inappropriate  to  mention 
that  events  have  lately  occurred  which  threaten  its 
overthrow  by  the  usually  inert  hands  of  the  Chinese 
themselves. 

A  long  continued  series  of  depredations  by  bands 
of  Manchu  marauders  aroused  the  indignation  of  Li 
Hung  Chang,  the  celebrated  Chinese  general  and 
viceroy  of  Chihli,  to  such  an  extent  that  he  resolved 
upon  the  almost  unprecedented  step  of  taking  mea- 
sures to  suppress  them.  He  sent  forces  to  the  bor- 
ders of  Corea,  and  a  gun-boat  to  cooperate  upon  the 
Yalu  River,  which  formed  the  northern  boundary  of 
the  kingdom.  When  it  was  proved  by  practical  expe- 
rience that  ships  could,  thus  penetrate  and  command 
the  territory  of  the  peniiTsular  kingdom,  the  necessity 
for  respecting  the  belt  of  neutral  ground  began  to  be 
doubted,  and  preparations  were  made  for  occupying 
it  without  delay.  It  is  said  that  a  considerable  por- 
tion has  already  been  measured  and  laid  out  by  the 
Chinese  surveyors. 

This  last  mentioned  incident  did  not  occur  during 


COREA.  353 


the  term  of  power  of  the  Regent  Ni  Kung.  Recur- 
ring to  the  career  of  this  arbitrary  potentate,  it  is  to 
be  stated  that  his  long  course  of  aggravated  misrule 
came  to  an  end  —  at  least  for  a  series  of  years  —  in 
1873.  The  circumstances  leading  to  his  deposition 
are  variously  narrated,  but  the  following  appear  to 
be  the  best  authenticated,  and  the  occasional  touches 
of  what  might  seem  a  romantic  exaggeration  to 
readers  far  removed  from  the  scene  have  no  unnatural 
aspect  to  those  who  are  acquainted  with  the  usages 
of  a  people  whose  intellects  have  been  trained  upon 
a  system  of  Chinese  ethics.  The  old  Queen  Cho, 
whose  power  had  been  wrested  from  her  a  dozen  years 
before,  and  who  had  never  forgotten  nor  forgiven 
the  offence,  was  always  unrelenting  in  her  thirst  for 
revenge,  and  her  residence  became  the  rallying  place 
for  all  the  influential  disaffected.  The  leader  of  this 
party,  which  for  a  long  time  shrouded  its  movements 
in  the  profoundest  secrecy,  was  her  nephew,  Cho 
Sung,  who  has  been  spoken  of  as  her  first,  though 
impracticable  choice  for  the  succession  to  the  throne 
in  1864.  He  was  now  a  man  of  about  thirty,  and 
apparently  full  of  activity  and  vigor.  His  efforts  at 
concealment  were  not,  however,  successful,  and  at  the 
moment  when  he  was  about  to  put  into  execution  a 
plot  of  some  magnitude,  an  order  was  issued  for  his 
arrest.  He  fled  for  protection  to  his  aunt,  whose  arm 
was  still  sufficiently  strong  to  give  him  shelter  while 
he  remained  within  reach.  The  dowager's  fertile 
invention  now  conceived  a  new  scheme.  Even  in 
retirement,  her  great  age  and  force  of  character  gave 
her  a  pre-eminence  which  the  Regent  could  not  afford 
to  despise.  She  issued  invitations  for  a  private  feast, 
a  sort  of  (Ujeuner  d  trots,  in  which  the  participants 
were  to  be  herself,  her  nephew,  and  the  obnoxious  Ni 


354  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

Kung.  When  they  were  all  seated  she  announced 
that  the  chief  ingredient  of  the  principal  dish  was 
poison.  She  lamented  the  family  feuds,  deplored  the 
effect  they  had  had  upon  the  country,  and  said  that 
the  only  way  out  of  the  difficulty  was  a  joint  suicide, 
unless  the  Regent  would  accept  reasonable  terms  of 
reconciliation.  To  refuse  a  proposition  for  self-immo- 
lation, under  such  grave  circumstances,  would  not 
comport  with  high  Corean  dignity  ;  but  as  an  alterna- 
tive was  offered,  and  as  the  lofty  functionary  did  not 
particularly  care  to  die,  he  consented  to  every  thing. 
A  truce  was  patched  up,  which,  however,  having  no 
elements  of  endurance*  about  it,  was  written  in  short 
order.  New  intrigues  were  set  on  foot,  and  after 
much  difficulty,  a  petition  exhibiting  the  grievances 
of  the  nobles  and  the  people  was  placed  directly  in 
the  hands  of  the  young  king,  who  had  reached  the 
age  of  twenty-one.  This  exploit  was  a  service  of  no 
little  danger,  for  if  the  messengers  had  been  detected 
in  their  errand,  or  if  the  king  had  revealed  their  action 
prematurely,  they  would  have  suffered  instant  death. 
He  said  nothing,  but  presently  began  to  institute  a 
series  of  investigations  in  disguise,  in  order  to  dis- 
cover for  himself  what  amount  of  truth  resided  in  the 
complaints  addressed  to  him.  He  was  doubly  bound 
not  to  accept  them  blindly,  inasmuch  as,  in  addition 
to  the  changes  of  public  policy  toward  which  they 
pointed,  they  involved  accusations  of  grave  crimes  on 
the  part  of  his  father.  His  cause  of  inquiry  soon 
satisfied  him  as  to  the  general  correctness  of  the 
charges,  but  still  he  hesitated  to  act.  Although  a 
totally  different  sort  of  man  from  his  immediate  pre- 
decessors, who  were  semi-idiotic  imbeciles,  he  was  not 
quite  prepared  to  reverse  the  role  of  Brutus  and 
execute  justice  on  his  own  sire.     Finally,  Queen  Cho 


COREA.  355 


determined  upon  her  last  resort.  She  shut  herself 
up  within  her  own  walls,  and  gave  out  that  she  was 
starving  herself  to  death.  Whether  she  did  or  did 
not  introduce  alterations  in  her  diet  is  matter  for 
speculation ;  probably  she  continued  to  eat  quite  as 
much  as  was  good  for  her  ;  but  at  any  rate  the  report 
spread  abroad,  until  it  reached  the  ears  of  the  king, 
perhaps  during  some  of  his  erratic  ramblings,  where- 
upon he  hastened  to  visit  her,  and,  with  many  signs 
of  respect,  due  to  her  years  and  former  station,  asked 
an  explanation.  This  was  the  opportunity  she  had 
longed  for.  She  poured  out  all  her  troubles,  and,  it 
is  to  be  presumed,  did  not  spare  her  ancient  enemy, 
although  she  was  speaking  to  his  son.  The  result  of 
the  conversation  was  the  announcement,  on  the  part 
of  the  king,  that  for  the  future  he  would  take  the  gov- 
ernment under  his  own  direction,  and  that  the  aged 
queen  need  be  apprehensive  of  no  more  abuses.  In 
the  course  of  a  few  days  he  really  made  his  words 
good.  He  relieved  his  father  from  active  duty,  and 
requested  him.  to  remain  tranquil  for  a  while  within 
the  precincts  of  the  palacd  This  done,  he  proceeded 
to  throw  himself  into  the  arms  of  the  opposition  — 
whether  recklessly  or  with  due  caution,  wisely  or 
unwisely,  events  have  still  to  prove.  Acting  by  their 
advice,  he  abruptly  dismissed  the  great  ministers 
nearest  the  throne,  of  which  there  are  three,  as  in 
Japan,  and  replaced  them  by  friends  and  partisans  of 
the  notable  Cho  Sung.  Upon  this  dignitary,  however, 
the  real  and  welcome  weight  of  power  and  authority 
was  now  thrown,  although  the  king  had  renounced 
the  regency  of  his  father,  who  presently  withdrew  to 
retirement  at  some  distance  from  the  capital.  The 
monarch  reigned,  but  Cho  Sung  was  the  power  behind 
him.     And,  so  far  as  can  be  now  discovered,  he  con- 


356  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

tinued  to  hold  that  sway  until  the  approach  of  the 
Japanese  complications. 

During  the  year  1872,  attempts  at  negotiation  were 
continually  repeated  by  various  deputies,  the  most 
urgent  and  impressive  of  which  were  conducted  by  an 
attache  of  the  Foreign  Department,  named  Moriyama, 
an  officer  of  skill  and  address,  though  not  of  elevated 
rank.  He  did  what  he  could  to  modify  the  stubborn 
temper  of  the  Coreans  with  whom  he  came  in  contact, 
and,  in  1874,  succeeded  so  far  as  to  secure  a  promise 
from  the  magistrates  of  Torai  Fu,  the  chief  town  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Fusan,  that  letters  explanatory 
of  the  Japanese  view§  and  intentions  should  be 
received  and  properly  considered.  This  pledge,  how- 
ever, was  disavowed  by  the  central  authorities.  The 
documents  were  duly  prepared  and  presented,  but 
were  rejected  without  a  reason  being  offered  for  the 
breach  of  faith.  By  this  time  it  was  clear  that  the 
obstinacy  of  Corea  could  be  overcome  only  by  a 
demonstration  —  pacific  or  otherwise  —  sufficiently 
imposing  to  teach  them  that  they  were  trifling  with 
their  own  destiny  in  an  extremely  hazardous  manner. 

As  to  the  feelings  by  which  the  Corean  Court  was 
animated  at  that  time,  it  is  impossible  to  speak  with 
equal  certainty,  although  we  are  not  wholly  without 
information  upon  the  point.  It  was  first  awakened  to 
the  possibility  of  a  rupture  by  a  false  alarm  communi- 
cated by  the  Chinese  Government  at  the  time  when 
the  Japanese  Commissioner,  Okubo,  was  driving  the 
Tsung  li  Yamen  to  the  wall  with  his  irresistible  argu- 
ments upon  the  Formosan  question.  The  Chinese 
thought  it  a  fine  stroke  of  diplomacy  to  kindle  a  spirit 
of  active  enmity  against  Japan  among  the  people 
of  Corea.  This  was  their  idea  of  a  strategetic  diver- 
sion.    They  sent  several  successive    messengers,  in 


COREA.  357 


the  summer  of  1874,  bearing  the  fictitious  intelligence 
that  an  alliance  had  been  concluded  between  Japan, 
France  and  the  United  States,  for  the  purpose  of 
subjugating  the  little  kingdom.  An  immense  excite- 
ment spread  through  that  land  in  consequence. 

At  this  period  no  great  fear  appeared  to  be  enter- 
tained respecting  France  or  America,  for  the  reason 
that  expeditions  from  these  countries,  which  were 
looked  upon  as  invasions,  had  been  met  with  forcible 
resistance,  and,  according  to  the  self-satisfied  theory 
of  Corea,  had  been  victoriously  repelled.  But  in 
regard  to  Japan  the  feeling  was  different.  Tradition 
had  preserved  a  lively  recollection  of  the  horrors  of 
Taiko's  conquest  at  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century, 
in  which  parts  of  the  country  had  been  utterly  devas- 
tated, and  whole  provinces  depopulated.  Taiko's 
war  was  virtually  one  of  extermination,  and  the  fero- 
city with  which  he  waged  it  may  be  understood  from 
the  circumstance  of  his  decree,  before  alluded  to,  that 
the  whole  population  of  the  fortified  city  of  Kishin  — 
the  last  Corean  stronghold  —  should  be  destroyed,  and 
that  the  ears  of  the  dead  should  be  sent  to  fill  a 
mound  at  Kioto.  The  Coreans  of  1874  were  appre- 
hensive of  a  renewal  of  these  cruelties.  While  they 
instantly  applied  themselves  to  preparations  upon 
the  largest  scale  of  which  they  were  capable,  they 
despatched  extraordinary  embassies  to  Peking  in 
quest  of  further  information  and  advice.  These  mes- 
sengers were  told  that  when  the  combined  attack 
should  be  made,  or  beforehand,  if  occasion  served,  the 
most  judicious  course  would  be  to  make  treaties  with 
America  and  France,  based  upon  tho.se  which  China 
had  concluded,  but  to  oppose  and  defy  Japan  to  the 
last.  So  far  as  has  since  been  learned,  a  good  part  of 
this  counsel  —  that  is,  the  pacific  part  —  commended 


358  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

itself  favorably  to  the  young  king,  who  forthwith  de- 
clared his  resolution  to  discontinue  the  excessive  prepa- 
ration for  war,  and  to  maintain  only  the  usual  armament 
of  the  country.  His  nearest  advisers,  Cho  Sung  and 
the  three  great  ministers,  fell  in  with  his  ideas,  but 
the  ex-Regent,  his  father,  sent  strong  protests,  and 
was  vehernent  in  urging  unconditional  resistance  to 
all  invaderSi  or  even  visitors,  on  friendly  grounds. 
About  this  time  a  new  element  of  influence  began  to 
appear  at  Court,  in  the  person  of  the  legitimate  queen, 
a  young  woman  to  whom  great  intelligence  and  force 
of  character  are  attributed,  and  who,  it  is  said,  seized 
upon  this  crisis  as  the  'first  convenient  opportunity 
for  asserting  herself. 

The  chosen  favorite  of  1873,  Cho  Sung,  had  not 
long  exercised  his  functions  of  familiar  councillor  to 
the  king,  before  he  was  accused  of  practises  almost 
as  nefarious  as  those  which  had  blackened  the  reputa- 
tion of  Ni  Kung.  Corruption  of  all  kinds  was  ascribed 
to  him  and  his  associates,  and  the  question  began  to 
be  agitated  whether  the  country  had  gained  a  particle 
by  the  radical  change  of  administration.  But  the 
king  clung  to  him  for  a  long  time,  and,  in  fact,  does 
not  appear  to  have  ever  wholly  abandoned  him.  It  is 
open  to  doubt  whether  the  sovereign  is  capable,  in  a 
country  like  Corea,  of  carrying  out  any  extensive 
plans  of  reform.  His  intentions  may  be  excellent, 
yet  he  may  have  no  power  to  enforce  them.  It  is 
possible  that  in  taking  up  with  the  Cho  party  he 
merely  made  the  best  of  a  choice  of  evils.  In  one  or 
two  important  crises  since  1873,  he  undoubtedly 
displayed  a  disposition  to  assert  himself  with  con- 
siderable firmness  in  the  management  of  affairs. 
Precisely  what  his  qualities  are,  nobody  can  presume 
to  say  with  confidence.     It  is  clear  enough,  however, 


CORE  A.  359 


that,  in  1874,  the  influence  of  the  young  queen  Min  "^ 
became  paramount,  and  her  voice  was  strong  in  advo- 
cacy of  an  amicable  attitude  towards  Japan.  An 
absolute  change  of  policy  could  not,  however,  be 
suddenly  agreed  to.  The  opinion  of  the  highest 
authorities  gradually  settled  itself  upon  the  retention 
of  the  old  forms  of  refusal  to  recognize  foreigners,  to 
the  extent  of  repulsing  them  by  force  up  to  a  certain 
point,  and  then  yielding,  slowly  and  reluctantly,  such 
concessions  as  should  seem  unavoidable.  In  one  mat- 
ter the  Coreans  were  indisposed  to  listen  to  China. 
They  did  not  feel  inclined  to  exclude  Japan  from  par- 
ticipation in  the  privileges  they  might  find  it  expedient 
to  grant.  In  fact,  partly  from  fear  of  consequences,  / 
and  partly  from  the  influences  of  old  association,  they  wV^  ^ 
were  a  trifle  better  affected  towards  the  Japanese 
than  to  the  others. 

Such,  with  few  changes,  the  condition  of  affairs 
remained  up  to  the  autumn  of  1875,  when  the  assault 
upon  the  Japanese  ship  Unyo  Kwan^  and  the  imme-  ' 
diate  destruction  of  a  Corean  fort  in  retribution,  gave 
a  new  color  to  the  transactions.  The  operations  of 
this  vessel  of  war  previous  to  the  memorable  engage- 
ment in  which  she  was  concerned,  are  not  without 
interest  in  connection  with  the  general  subject.  Her 
two  cruises  in  1875  were  distinguished  by  many  inci- 
dents which  gave  rise  to  much  discussion. 

In  May  of  that  year  she  paid   a   visit  to  Fusan, 
where  the  captain  entertained  a   number   of   native  ^ 

officials  on  board,  regaling  them  with,  among  other 
things,  a  sham  fight  between  his  own  ship  and 
another  that  happened  to  be  in  harbor,  at  the  tumult 
and  explosive  uproar  of  which  the  timorous  guests 
were  terrified  almost  out  of  their  wits.  Sailing  north- 
ward, she  touched  at  a  port  named  Hamikian,  where 


360  LEADING    MExN    OF   JAPAN. 

her  crew  went  ashore  for  the  purpose  of  extinguishing 
a  conflagration  which  had  broken  out,  and  which  the 
inhabitants  could  not  master. 

This  having  been  accompHshed,  and  the  captain, 
compassionating  the  sufferers,  having  bestowed  a 
sum  of  two  thousand  cash  upon  them,  she  again 
turned  to  the  north  and  anchored  in  the  bay  of 
Unkotsuki.  It  has  never  appeared  whether  or  not 
her  officers  considered  the  question  of  her  right  to 
enter  these  places.  However,  no  opposition  was 
offered,  and  the  people  appeared  wholly  taken  by 
surprise. 

There  was  a  trifling  'difficulty  with  some  minor 
officials  in  Unkotsuki,  who  behaved  with  a  rudeness 
that  indicated  ignorance  rather  than  evil  intent,  and  a 
deputation  went  on  shore  to  insist  upon  apologies. 
During  an  interview  with  the  Chief  Magistrate, 
attempts  were  made  to  intimidate  them  by  the 
assumption  of  a  somewhat  offensive  demeanor,  and 
by  the  collection  of  a  considerable  force  of  soldiery, 
three  hundred  or  four  hundred  in  number.  But  the 
Japanese  were  firm,  and  at  last  a  promise  was  given 
that  the  culprits  should  be  severely  punished.  Here, 
however,  having  secured  an  acknowledgment  of  the 
error,  they  interposed,  and  only  a  simple  reprimand 
was  administered.  After  this,  the  Uftyo  Kwan 
returned  to  Japan  in  July,  and  in  August  again 
started  for  a  cruise  in  the  Yellow  Sea,  etc.,  her  first 
destination  being  Niuchuang. 

On  the  nineteenth  of  September,  her  supply  of  water 
falling  short,  she  put  into  the  Bay  of  Kokwa — in  the 
waters  of  which  the  fight  with  the  American  ships 
had  taken  place — and  attempted  to  land  a  boat's 
crew.  The  question  of  her  right  to  make  this  adven- 
ture,   under   the   existin^:   conditions   of   intercourse 


COREA.  361 


between  Japan  and  Corea,  may  have  been  an  open 
one.  The  boat  was  immediately  fired  upon  from  the 
shore,  and  a  smart  exchange  of  shots  from  small  arms 
ensued.  Presently  the  large  guns  of  a  fortification 
upon  the  island  of  Kokwa  (or  Yeiso)  were  discharged, 
and  the  boat  prudently  withdrew.  It  was  not  in 
the  captain's  humor  to  receive  an  assault  like  this 
without  inflicting  retribution.  The  next  day  he 
opened  fire  from  his  ship,  but  without  decisive  effect, 
in  consequence  of  his  inability  to  get  near  the  shore, 
and  the  difficulty  of  navigation  in  the  strong  currents 
produced  by  the  outflow  of  the  river  of  Seoul.  On 
the  morning  of  the  twenty-first  he  despatched  two  boats 
with  a  force  consisting  of  three  officers,  ten  marines, 
and  twenty-three  sailors.  More  could  not  be  spared, 
as  the  Unyo  Kwan  is  a  small  ship — merely  a  gunboat 
—  but  these  were  encwigh. 

They  landed  close  to  one  of  the  gates  of  the  fort, 
and  advanced  to  the  attack  without  delay.  In  the 
first  onset,  two  Japanese  were  wounded.  The  little 
band  of  assailants  was  divided,  the  larger  number 
engaging  the  attention  of  the  besieged  at  the  eastern 
extremity,  while  some  half-a-dozen  were  sent  to  cut 
off  a  retreat  in  the  opposite  direction.  An  entrance 
was  effected  in  a  very  few  minutes,  the  Japanese 
climbing  over  the  wall  and  driving  the  defenders 
before  them  with  little  difficulty.  After  one  shock, 
the  Corean  soldiers  fled  in  a  panic,  and  endeavored  to  ^ 
escape  by  a  bridge  to  a  neighboring  island.  Here 
they  were  intercepted  by  the  little  flanking  party,  and, 
forsaking  the  usual  route,  they  took  to  the  water  and 
endeavored  to  swim  across  the  channel.  The  greater 
number  of  them  were  either  shot  or  drowned,  and  only 
five  or  six  reached  the  opposite  shore.  About  a  dozen 
prisoners  were   seized,  from  whom   was   ascertained 


362  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

that  the  garrison  had  been  composed  of  two  hundred 
and  fifty  men.  These  captives  were  straightway 
employed  in  transporting  the  spoils  of  the  victory  to 
the  ship.  The  fort  was  entirely  dismantled,  and  all 
the  buildings  within  it  were  burned.  The  trophies 
secured  were  thirty-six  bronze  cannon,  some  scores  of 
matchlock  muskets,  numerous  bows  and  arrows, 
spears  and  swords,  together  with  several  drums  and 
trumpets.  A  Chinese  translation  of  a  French  treatise 
on  gunnery  was  also  among  the  abandoned  effects. 
Detachments  of  marines  and  sailors  remained  on  the 
island  during  the  day  of  the  fight  and  that  following, 
with  the  Japanese  flag  conspicuously  displayed  from 
their  quarters,  but  no  token  of  a  disposition  to  renew 
the  contest  came  from  the  defeated  party.  On  the 
twenty-third  the  Unyo  Kzvan  started  for  Nagasaki, 
setting  aside  the  projected  visit  to  Niuchuang.  As 
soon  as  she  reached  Japan,  the  news  of  what  had 
occurred  was  telegraphed  to  the  capital.  It  does  not 
appear  to  have  been  looked  upon'  as  an  event  necessa- 
rily leading  to  immediate  war,  for  the  envoy  Moriyama, 
who  had  recently  returned  home,  was  immediately 
sent  back  with  fresh  instructions  to  his  old  post  at 
Fusan.  But  it  at  once  became  the  absorbing  topic  in 
ministerial  circles,  and  the  necessity  for  prompt  action 
in  the  matter  was  recognized  on  all  sides. 

Early  in  the  autumn  of  18/^5,  these  complications 
had  grown  beyond  the  proportions  which,  under  ordi- 
nary circumstances,  would  properly  belong  to  them 
in  consequence  of  domestic  political  dissensions.  In 
Japan,  as  elsewhere,  if  differences  arise  within  the 
Government,  or  if  the  opposing  forces  outside  the  Gov- 
ernment succeed  in  making  themselves  formidable,  any 
topic  of  public  significance  is  sure  to  be  seized  by 
both  parties  and  variously  used  to  suit  the  necessities 


COREA.  363 


of  the  occasion.  This  matter  of  Corea  was  undoubt- 
edly serious  to  some  extent,  standing  by  itself.  The 
rulers  of  the  continental  kingdom  had  persistently 
shown  a  quarrelsome  determination,  and  it  had  become 
an  important  problem  whether  they  should  continue 
to  be  dealt  with  by  the  gentle  methods  of  argument 
and  persuasion,  or  by  summary  force.  For  a  con- 
siderable while  the  opponents  of  active  hostility  had 
the  advantage.  They  carried  the  weight  of  intellect 
with  them,  although  they  were  perhaps  inferior  in 
numbers,  and  so  long  as  the  Coreans  abstained  from 
acts  of  positive  violence,  no  convincing  reason  for 
taking  arms  against  them  could  be  alleged.  But  the 
situation  was  materially  changed  by  the  affair  of  the 
Unyo  Kwan.  There  were  some  who  went  so  far  as^ 
to  say  that  the  assault  was  purposely  provoked,  with 
the  intention  of  strengthening  the  hands  of  the  war 
party. 

This  accusation  was  not  worthy  of  belief,  but  still 
the  turbulent  spirits  did  unquestionably  gain  power 
by  the  transaction.  The  peace  men,  however,  were  as 
firm  as  before.  They  insisted  that,  even  in  the  new 
aspect  of  events,  nothing  appeared  to  warrant  an 
organized  invasion.  They  were  supported  by  all  the 
prominent  public  journals,  and  by  the  best  instructed 
part  of  the  community  at  large,  and  if  nothing  but 
the  naked  question  of  Corean  relations  had  been 
allowed  to  mingle  in  the  discussions,  they  would  have 
carried  their  point.  But  just  at  this  time  other  ele- 
ments of  di.scord  in  the  administration  began  to  declare 
themselves. 

Topics  of  far  greater  importance,  in  many  senses, 
than  a  foreign  war — since  they  involved  the  entire 
re-adjustment  of  th^  management  of  public  affairs  — 
agitated  the  members  of  the  Cabinet,  and  with  these 


364  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

the  business  of  Corea  gradually  became  so  interwoven 
that  no  separation  was  possible.  One  of  the  results, 
by  no  means  so  indirect  as  was  then  supposed,  was 
the  withdrawal  from  office  of  Shimadzu  Hisamitsu, 
the  second  officer  under  the  crown,  and  Itagaki 
Taisuke,  of  the  Imperial  Council.  The  radical  changes 
which  these  leaders  were  struggling  to  introduce  had 
no  legitimate  association  with  Corea,  but  the  majority 
of  the  Government  felt  that  they  must  be  controverted 
at  all  hazards,  and  they  consequently  waived  their  dis- 
agreements on  other  points,  in  order  to  offer  a  com- 
bined resistance  to  the  innovators.  In  this  way  the 
chief  opposition  to  a  demonstration  of  force  dis- 
appeared. It  was  agreed  that  the  contumacious  little 
kingdom  should  be  vigorously  dealt  with.  The  party 
of  prudence  and  forethought  took  their  last  stand  on 
the  necessity  of  making  proper  provision  in  all  direc- 
tions, and  the  propriety  of  prefacing  the  actually 
hostile  demand  with  a  final  urgent  appeal  to  reason. 
For  more  than  this  they  felt  it  would  be  useless  to 
contend. 

One  of  the  most  earnest  advocates  of  this  policy 

V       was  Arinori  Mori,  the  Shoyu,  or  third  official,  of  the 

Foreign   Department.     He   was   appointed  envoy  to 

China,  and,   in    December,    1875,  went  to  Peking  to 

discover  the   opinions  held  by  the  Chinese^  on  the 

subject.     It  was   not  forgotten  that,  two  and  a  half 

^.  years  before,  when  the  embassador  Soyezima  visited 

y%\    that   capital  for  a  similar   purpose,  and   secured  an 

^yk^  acknowledgment  of  acquiescence  in  Japanese  move- 

''  K   -r  Vments,    both    as    regards    Corea    and    Formosa,    he 

^^Mj^^neglected   to  obtain  this  assurance  in  writing.      Of 

\^     course  no  oversight  of  this  kind  could  be  repeated. 

On  every  account  it  was  essential  to  know  with  as 

definite  a  precision  as  possible,  the  view  that  China 


COREA.  365 


v/ 


v/ 


would  take,  and  the  action,  if  any,  that  she  would 
pursue.     Whatever  Mori   might  procure,  he  was  to    ^ 
get  in  a  form  that  should  leave  no  opportunity  for 
subsequent  evasion.     It  was  hoped  that  China  would    ,,     ^^ 
be  persuaded  to  remain  passive,  and  this  hope  was   ^^<^ 
fortunately  realized  ;  but  if  she  had  refused  to  define  ^^J^ 
her  position,  or  shown  herself  arrogant  and  obstruc-  ^^\^y^  • 
tive,  preparations  would  have  been  rapidly  made  to 
conduct  operations   on  a  broad  and  sweeping  scale. 
The  ultimate  enterprise,  however  it  might  have  been 
delayed,  would  never  have  been  abandoned.    In  point  of 
fact,  there  were  not  a  few  who  ardently  hoped  that 
China  would  be  unreasonable,  and  declare  a  deter- 
mination to  interfere  in  the  dispute.     Many  Japanese 
of  prominent  station  still  smarted  under  the  recollec- 
tion of  the  behavior  of  the  neighboring  empire  during 
the  Formosa  affair,  and  would  have  welcomed  a  chance 
to  deal  a  sturdy  blow  in  retaliation,  no  matter  at  what 
desperate  hazard. 

The  conditions  under  which  the  direct  expedition 
was  organized  immediately  after  Mr.  Mori's  departure, 
led  both  sides,  the  war  extremists  and  the  partisans 
of  peace,  to  believe  that  their  views  were  in  the  ascend- 
ant. It  had  been  decided  that  the  Coreans  should 
have  one  more  chance  of  averting  hostilities,  and  that 
then,  if  they  would  not  show  themselves  repentant 
for  their  acts  of  violence,  and  willing  to  open  relations 
with  Japan,  they  should  be  forced  into  submission. 
But  it  was  not  now  believed  that  they  would  volunta- 
rily yield,  and  a  conflict  was  looked  upon  as  a  foregone 
conclusion.  It  was  settled  that  an  officer  of  the  high- 
est rank  should  be  despatched,  bearing  the  same  cre- 
dentials and  titles  as  those  of  a  minister  to  a  friendly 
nation.  If  his  overtures  should  be  accepted,  no  occa- 
sion for  a  contest   would   arise.      If    rejected,   the 


366  LEADING   MEN   OF  JAPAN. 

application  of  force  would  follow  in  due  season. 
This  plan  having  been  adopted,  all  parties  were 
contented.  The  advocates  of  " moral  suasion"  gained 
a  concession,  and  the  combative  spirits  were  entirely 
satisfied  for  the  reason  that  they  felt  sure  that  the 
Coreans  would  again  resist,  and  thus  strengthen  their 
position  more  than  ever. 

On  the  thirteenth  of  December  a  decree  was  pro- 
mulgated, giving  notice  of  the  appointment  of  Kuroda 
Kiyotaka,  Lieutenant-General  of  the  Army,  Imperial 
Councillor  and  Chief  of  the  Kai  Taku  Shi,  or  Coloni- 
zation Department,  as  Envoy  Extraordinary,  Minister 
Plenipotentiary  and  Consul  General  to  Corea.  The 
selection  of  this  officer*  for  the  post  was  looked  upon 
as  another  point  gained  by  the  belligerently  disposed. 
He  was  known  to  be  essentially  a  man  of  war.  His 
nomination,  though  probably  not  intended  as  such, 
was  taken  in  the  light  of  an  offset  to  that  of  Mori, 
who  was  all  for  peace,  if  it  could  be  maintained  in 
any  honorable  way.  And  his  position  of  head  of  the 
Kai  Taku  Shi  was  made  to  serve  the  same  kind  of 
argument ;  since,  it  was  asked,  if  Corea  was  not  to 
be  subdued  and  annexed  as  well,  why  should  it  come 
within  the  scope  of  a  Colonial  Bureau  ?  This,  how- 
ever, was  going  altogether  too  far.  General  Kuroda's 
instructions  were  to  sail  to  the  Bay  of  Kokwa,  to  wait 
at  a  reasonable  distance  from  the  capital,  Seoul,  and 
to  communicate  with  the  shore  in  such  manner  as 
should  seem  most  favorable  for  his  purposes,  without 
provoking  hostilities.  He  was  to  request  that  a  state- 
ment of  the  circumstances  of  his  appointment,  his 
rank  and  powers,  and  the  general  objects  of  his 
mission  be  transmitted  to  the  highest  authorities.  If 
he  succeeded  in  producing  the  required  impression, 
he  would  advance  to  the  nearest  city  and  seek  an 


COREA.  367 


interview  with  some  dignitary  empowered  to  repre- 
sent the  sovereign.  He  would  then  demand  that 
certain  ports  be  opened  for  trade,  that  regular 
diplomatic  intercourse  be  established,  and  that  all 
Japanese  ships  seeking  shelter  upon  the  coast  should 
be  properly  protected.  These  were  laid  down  as  the 
principal  stipulations.  If  they  should  be  agreed  to,  "  war 
thoughts  would  leave  their  places  vacant."  If  rejected, 
the  preparations  that  were  to  continue  without  inter- 
ruption, in  Japan,  during  the  progress  of  the  mission, 
would  be  hurried  forward,  and  the  campaign  would 
begin  as  early  as  practicable  in  the  spring  or  summer 
of  1876. 

An  assistant  commissioner,  Inouye  Kaoru,  was 
appointed  to  share  the  labors  of  General  Kuroda. 
This  well  known  politician  had  been  a  prominent 
agent  of  the  Chosiu  clan  in  former  days,  and  had  held 
various  offices  of  responsibility  under  the  new  Govern- 
ment. At  the  outset  of  the  difficulty,  one  of  the 
Imperial  Council,  Kido  Koin,  from  Chosiu,  prepared 
a  comprehensive  memorial  for  the  Government,  sug- 
gesting methods  of  settlement,  and  it  was  for  a  time 
supposed  that  he  sought  the  appointment  of  Commis- 
sioner. This,  however,  was  evidently  not  his  desire, 
for  when  the  question  of  sending  him  was  raised,  he 
absented  himself  from  public  view,  and  refused  to  be 
seen  or  consulted.  The  general  conviction  was,  that 
Inouye  was  chosen  as  an  indication  that  the  wishes 
f  the  Chosiu  element  should  not  be  disregarded.  And 
he  undoubtedly  had  powerful  personal  friends,  among 
whom  the  Minister  of  Public  Works  was  most  con- 
spicuous. They  were  companions  in  European  travel, 
and  had  ever  since  been  close  allies,  and  the  Sangi 
Ito's  voice  was  never  silent  when  the  interests  of  his 
old  associate  were  concerned.     In  addition  to  this 


368  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

companion,  Kuroda  was  attended  by  Moriyama,  and 
a  large  staff  of  subordinates.  One  of  these  was  a 
native  Corean  named  Kin  Rinshio,  who,  escaping  from 
the  persecutions  of  his  Government  a  few  years  ago, 
firsl  placed  himself  Under  the  protection  of  the  Rus- 
sian authorities,  and  then  came  to  Japan,  apparently 
in  the  genuine  belief  that  from  the  action  of  this 
country,  whatever  it  might  be,  great  benefits  would 
flow  to  his  countrymen.  In  his  somewhat  circuitous 
way,  he  considered  himself  a  patriot,  and  in  no  sense 
a  traitor  to  his  own  land.  His  hatred  was  all  for  the 
Government,  which  he  declared  was  ruining  the 
kingdom  as  well  as  destroying  the  populace,  and  he 
was  ready  to  assist  in  any  work  that  should  promise 
the  overthrow  of  the  present  system  of  misrule.  For 
the  time  being  he  regarded  himself  as  a  Japanese, 
and  his  sincerity  was  unquestioned. 

The  expedition  sailed  in  January,  1876,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  its  appointed  destination.  For  about  a 
fortnight,  its  progress  was  communicated  with  regu- 
larity to  the  Government  at  Tokio,  after  which  a  long 
hiatus  ensued,  during  which  no  official  intelligence 
of  any  kind  was  transmitted.  The  fleet,  passing 
through  the  Strait  of  Simonoseki,  touched  at  the 
Island  of  Tsu,  the  connecting  geographical  link 
between  the  two  countries,  and  reached  the  Japanese 
settlement  of  Fusan  on  the  fifteenth  of  the  month. 
On  the  twenty-third  it  started  northward  for  the 
point  fixed  upon  for  debarkation.  But  from  this 
date,  until  the  positive  settlement  of  the  subsequent 
negotiations,  no  despatches  from  the  Commissioners 
were  received.  It  was  known,  informally,  that  they 
had  reached  Kokwa,  and  effected  a  landing,  but  all 
details  were  withheld.  The  omission  gave  rise  to  no 
anxiety,  though  possibly  to  some  slight  dissatisfaction. 


COREA.  369 


It  was  argued  by  the  Japanese  authorities,  that  no 
important  event,  either  of  an  amicable  or  a  hostile 
character,  could  have  occurred.  If  the  embassy  had 
gained  a  diplomatic  success,  or  if,  on  the  other  hand, 
it  had  been  menaced  by  the  Coreans,  there  would 
probably  have  been  no  such  delay.  While  Govern- 
ment, as  a  body,  was  perhaps  not  pleased  with  this 
protracted  reticence,  the  individuals  composing  it 
appeared  ready  enough  to  make  excuses  on  the 
ground  that  Kuroda  had  a  right  to  withhold  commu- 
nications until  he  had  done  something  worth  telling 
about.  Messages  were  more  than  once  sent  to  him  — 
not  in  complaint,  as  was  alleged  by  a  few  newspapers, 
but  to  acquaint  him  with  the  progress  of  affairs  at 
home,  and  to  impart  the  information  received  from 
Minister  Mori,  which  was  to  the  effect  that  China  dis- 
avowed all  responsibility  for  the  action  of  Corea,  and 
admitted  the  propriety  of  Japan's  taking  measures  to 
secure  redress  for  the  various  injuries  inflicted.  Mr. 
Mori  had  now  been  in  Peking  for  a  month,  and  from 
the  time  of  his  arrival  there  he  had  found  that  such  a 
di.savowal  was  to  be  expected.  If  the  Chinese  had 
put  forward  any  claim  of  authority  over  Corea,  in 
this  case,  they  would  have  rendered  themselves  liable 
not  only  to  the  Japanese  demands  for  compensation, 
but  also  to  those  of  the  French  and  United  States 
Governments,  both  of  which  had  similar  accounts  to 
be  settled.  Their  declarations  of  neutrality  were  not 
so  informal  as  in  the  matter  of  Formosa,  when,  as 
has  been  mentioned,  they  gave  only  a  verbal  pledge 
of  non-interference,  and  broke  it  at  the  first  oppor- 
tunity. The  one  mistake  of  Japan's  representative, 
on  that  earlier  occasion,  was  the  failure  to  secure  a 
written  promise  on  this  point.  That  error  was  not 
again  committed,  aiid  the  Chinese  authorities  were 


370  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

firmly  bound,  so  far  as  the  seals  of  the  Tsung  li 
Yamen  could  bind  them,  to  abstain  from  participation 
in  the  impending  events,  whether  the  contact  should 
be  friendly  or  hostile.  A  special  mission  had  been 
sent  from  Peking  to  Corea  since  the  arrival  of  Mori 
in  the  Chinese  capital,  and  to  this  circumstance  a 
great  deal  of  importance  was  attached  by  many 
observers ;  but  in  fact  these  messengers  had  been 
appointed  and  charged  with  their  specific  duty  a  long 
time  before  the  trouble  with  Japan  came  to  a  crisis, 
and  it  was  only  through  accidental  delay  that  they 
failed  to  start  before  Mori  reached  his  post.  They 
went  to  carry  an  Imperial  patent  of  investiture  for 
the  son  of  the  Corean  king,  as  heir  apparent  to  the 
throne,  which  patent  had  been  petitioned  for  nearly 
two  years  previously.  It  is  likely  enough  that 
advantage  was  taken  of  the  opportunity  to  convey 
the  opinions,  desires  and  purposes  of  China  upon  the 
Japanese  question,  but  that  was  a  very  different  pro- 
ceeding from  the  express  despatch  of  an  embassy  to 
discuss  this  point  alone. 

During  the  interval  of  uncertainty,  namely,  from 
the  twenty-third  of  January  until  the  end  of  Febru- 
ary, the  Japanese  preparations  were  continued  with- 
out any  abatement.  Arms,  ammunition  and  supplies 
of  all  kinds  were  forwarded  in  great  quantities  to 
Simonoseki  and  the  Island  of  Tsu.  Artisans  and 
mechanics  of  various  craft  were  also  in  readiness 
near  the  scene,  to  be  transferred  to  the  continent 
at  short  notice.  Numbers  of  ships  were  fitted  up  for 
the  transportation  of  troops  and  horses.  Maps  and 
charts  were  printed  by  the  War  Department,  supply- 
ing complete  guidance  to  every  part  of  the  kingdom, 
and  exhibiting  a  truly  extraordinary  degree  of  research, 
considering  the  impenetrability  of  the  territory  and 


COREA.  371 


the  obstinate  determination  of  the-  Coreans  to  keep 
their  land  unknown.  The  naval  charts  contained  all 
the  verified  soundings  of  the  coast  that  had  been 
obtained  by  Western  visitors,  with  the  additional 
results  of  Japanese  observations,  and,  in  particular, 
a  detailed  and  elaborate  statement  as  to  the  accessi- 
ble harbors,  the  extent  to  which  the  rivers  were  navi- 
gable, the  force  and  direction  of  the  currents,  etc. 
The  land  maps  were  accompanied  by  books  describing 
the  ports  that  might  be  safely  entered,  the  distance 
from  each  one  to  the  capital,  the  character  of  the 
routes,  the  rivers  and  chains  of  mountains  that 
would  have  to  be  crossed,  and  the  capacity  of  the 
several  regions  to  contribute  to  the  support  of  an 
invading  army.  It  now  came  to  be  understood  that, 
in  the  event  of  strife.  Lieutenant  General  Yamagata, 
Minister  of  the  War  Department,  would  take  the 
chief  control  of  army  operations.  For  the  command 
of  the  navy.  Admiral  ^enomoto,  was  to  be  recalled 
from  his  post  of  Envoy  to  Russia. 

While  the  Japanese  Government  at  home  remained 
in  a  somewhat  protracted  ignorance  of  the  move- 
ments in  Corea,  events  of  great  interest  were  in  fact 
progressing  there.  General  Kuroda  and  his  associates 
had  sailed  from  Fusan,  as  has  been  mentioned,  on 
the  twenty-third  of  January,  the  objective  point  being 
the  mouth  of  the  river  upon  which  the  Corean  capital, 
Seoul,  is  situated.  The  progress  was  necessarily 
moderate,  it  being  considered  of  importance  that  the 
ships  should  all  keep  together,  and  the  rate  of  advance 
being  thus  determined  by  the  slowest.  They  met  in 
rendezvous  on  the  twenty-fifth,  at  the  Island  of  Kualio, 
and  on  the  twenty -ninth,  at  the  Island  of  Taifu.  From 
this  point  the  walls  of  the  capital  were  plainly  visible, 
and  here  a  delay  of  several  days  took  place,  for  the 


3/2  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

arrangement  of  the  final  preparations.  One  other 
island  (Chosan)  was  visited  before  the  place  of  debarka- 
tion was  reached. 

On  the  tenth  of  February  the  envoys  and  their 
suite  landed  without  opposition  upon  Kokwa,  near 
the  scene  of  the  skirmish  between  the  Corean  soldiers 
and  the  crew  of  the  Unyo  Kwan,  and  at  once  pro- 
ceeded to  a  distance  of  about  two  miles  toward  the 
centre  of  the  island,  where  they  established  them- 
selves in  the  chief  town  of  the  neighborhood,  occu- 
pying the  premises  usually  in  the  possession  of  the 
military  ruler  of  that  district.  The  entrance  was 
made  as  effective  as  possible  by  the  aid  of  detach- 
ments of  marines  and  sailors  from  the  various  ships, 
who  acted  as  escort,  and  whose  movements  appeared 
to  excite  the  greatest  astonishment  on  the  part  of  all 
who  saw  them.  The  members  of  the  commission, 
dressed  in  full  uniform,  reached  their  quarters  in  the 
middle  of  the  afternoon.  With  very  little  delay  they 
were  visited  by  two  officers  appointed  to  receive  them 
and  their  attendants. 

These  delegates,  named  Ji  Shin-Ken  and  Inji  Shio, 
aged  respectively  about  sixty-five  and  fifty  years, 
represented  themselves  as  having  full  power  to  treat 
with  the  visitors  upon  all  subjects.  The  former  was 
announced  as  holding  the  highest  rank  in  Corea,  the 
equivalent  of  "  Ip-pon  "  in  Japan,  a  fact  of  which  it 
was  thought  desirable  to  obtain  evidence  before  enter- 
ing upon  discussions.  Formal  salutations  were 
exchanged,  and  the  remainder  of  the  day  was  occu- 
pied in  ceremonies  of  courtesy,  and  such  offerings 
of  hospitality  as  the  Corean  dignitaries  were  able  to 
supply.  A  simple  feast  was  prepared,  the  entertain- 
ment being  enlivened  by  the  performance  of  speci- 
mens of  ancient  Chinese  music.     During  the  evening 


COREA.  373 


the  Japanese  despatched  a  messenger  requesting  that 
the  work  in  hand  be  entered  upon  the  next  day. 
Accordingly,  on  the  eleventh,  the  subject  of  a  treaty 
for  the  maintenance  of  friendly  relations  was  taken 
up,  not  without  manifest  reluctance  on  the  side  of 
the  Coreans.  It  was  earnestly  debated  for  three 
days,  at  the  end  of  which  an  interval  of  ten  days 
was  requested,  in  order  that  the  matter  be  referred 
for  consideration  to  the  court  of  Seoul. 

This  appeal  was  urgently  combated  by  Kuroda  and 
Inouye,  who  argued  that  as  the  capital  was  only  twenty- 
five  miles  distant,  the  demand  was  unreasonable.  They 
proposed  that  the  answer  should  be  returned  within 
five  days,  but  as  the  Coreans  expressed  great  anxiety 
to  secure  a  longer  time,  it  was  firmly  agreed  that  the 
ten  should  be  conceded,  but  only  upon  condition  that 
there  should  then  be  no  further  conferences,  and  that 
at  the  expiration  of  the  term  allowed  the  treaty  should 
be  returned,  signed  and  approved  by  the  King.  With 
this  understanding  the  native  officials  took  leave  and 
departed  for  the  seat  of  Government. 

During  their  absence  opportunity  was  taken  to 
examine  the  locality  with  some  minuteness.  Many 
sketches  were  made,  and  voluminous*  descriptions 
prepared  by  attaches  who  appeared,  from  the  quality 
of  their  work,  to  be  adapted  to  the  duties  of  quick 
and  comprehensive  reporting.  Their  narratives  were 
not  found  on  subsequent  examination  to  be  of  a 
character  to  inspire  much  admiration  for  the  social 
condition  of  Corea.  The  town  of  Kokwa  is  looked 
ufK^n  as  a  place  of  considerable  importance,  and  may 
be  at  times  a  residence  of  the  sovereign  ;  but  it  con- 
sists of  only  some  two  thou.sand  houses,  few  of  which 
are  more  than  twelve  feet  high,  and  all,  with  the 
exception  of  half  a  dozen  official  dwellings,  being 


374  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

meanly  built  of  mud  and  coarse  straw.  The  people 
appeared  to  be  in  a  state  of  abject  degradation. 

At  the  expiration  of  the  ten  days  agreed  upon  the 
native  officials  presented  themselves,  but  only  to 
announce  their  inability  to  fulfil  the  conditions  to 
which  they  had  pledged  themselves.  The  envoys 
at  once  adopted  a  very  short  method  of  dealing  with 
them.  They  declared  they  could  now  listen  to  no 
arguments  or  remonstrances,  and  that  nothing  but 
a  positive  promise  to  produce  the  treaty,  signed  and 
ratified,  within  a  specified  time,  should  induce  them 
to  remain  a  day  longer  on  shore.  This  having  been 
met  with  an  apparent  'attempt  at  evasion,  the  entire 
Japanese  party  abandoned  their  quarters,  and  went 
on  board  the  ships,  excepting  only  two  subordinate 
officers  who  remained  to  collect  baggage,  etc. 

The  Coreans  thus  fully  persuaded  that  their 
visitors  were  not  to  be  trifled  with,  besought  these 
two  attaches  to  carry  to  the  Chief  Commissioner 
their  entreaties  that  he  would  return,  and  their 
assurances  that  no  further  cause  of  reasonable  com- 
plaint should  be  given.  Upon  the  strength  of  these 
protestations,  the  communications  were  renewed,  but 
in  a  spirit,  on  the  Japanese  side,  that  plainly  demon- 
strated the  inexpediency  of  further  efforts  to  protract 
the  settlement.  It  was  timidly  intimated  by  the 
Coreans  that  the  main  obstacle  to  a  prompt  conclu- 
sion was  the  requirement  by  Kuroda  and  Inouye, 
that  the  actual  signature  of  the  King  should  be  affixed 
to  the  document  as  a  guarantee  of  fidelity  in  its 
execution.  This  was  a  matter  which  had  previously 
been  argued  at  some  length,  but  chiefly  by  members 
of  the  embassy  representing  the  Japanese  Foreign 
Office,  and  not  by  the  leader. 

The  native  commissioners   now  represented  with 


CORE  A.  375 

great  earnestness  the  difficulty,  which  they  pro- 
nounced insurmountable,  of  yielding  this  point.  It 
was  explained  to  them,  however,  that  it  was  deemed 
indispensable,  for  the  reason  that  the  Corean  Gov- 
ernment might  hereafter  repudiate  the  whole  trans- 
action, and  claim  that  the  arrangement  had  been 
made  by  irresponsible  agents,  without  the  knowledge 
or  sanction  of  the  highest  authority,  unless  this  proof 
of  royal  acquiescence  were  obtained.  Then  came  a 
flood  of  asseverations  that  such  a  thing  had  never 
been  done  or  even  heard  of  in  Corea ;  that  the 
monarch  never  attached  his  name  to  any  thing ;  that 
to  ask  him  to  append  it  with  his  own  hand  would  be 
an  act  of  temerity  they  could  never  venture  upon, 
and  much  more  of  the  same  sort.  All  this  was  cut 
short  by  the  curt  announcement  of  a  new  departure, 
from  which  there  would  be  no  recall.  Messrs.  Ji  Shin- 
Ken  and  Inji  Shio  then  surrendered  without  further 
struggle,  and  asked  only  for  sufficient  time  to  go  to 
Seoul  for  the  ratification  and  return. 

After  this  all  went  smoothly.  The  two  additional 
days  required  were  passed  in  amicable  intercourse, 
exchanges  of  presents  and  consultations  respecting 
the  probable  course  of  future  relations  between  the 
two  countries.  The  gifts  offered  by  the  Japanese 
were  in  some  instances  looked  upon  with  grave  sus- 
picion. Several  of  them  were  of  European  or  Amer- 
ican manufacture,  and  the  inscriptions  or  trade  marks 
upon  them  were  recognized  and  regarded  as  carr)'ing 
with  them  some  direful  influence  of  Western  blight 
and  destruction.  In  regard  to  the  methods  of  con- 
ducting a  diplomatic  connection  they  seemed  greatly 
at  a  loss,  and  no  doubt  they  sincerely  felt  so.  The 
treaty  arranged  for  the  visit  of  a  Corean  ambassador 
to  Japan  at  an  early  date.     They  frankly  admitted 


3/6  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

that  they  knew  nothing  about  such  usages,  and  that 
they  had  no  means  of  sending  a  representative,  being 
without  suitable  ships,  or  the  means  of  buying  them. 
The  Japanese  set  aside  this  obstacle  by  undertaking 
to  supply  transportation  for  all  that  might  be  appointed 
to  come.  A  partial  understanding  followed,  to  the 
effect  that  much  good  might  be  accomplished  by 
selecting  young  men  from  Corean  families  known 
to  be  the  most  hostile  to  the  idea  of  foreign  associa- 
tions and  sending  them  to  Japan  for  education  in  the 
national  schools.  Ample  apologies  were  offered  for 
the  discourteous  responses  given  in  late  years  to 
messages  from  the  Court  of  Tokio,  and  also  for  the 
attack  upon  the  gunboat  Uiiyo  Kwan,  the  nationality 
of  which  vessel,  it  was  protested,  was  entirely  unknown 
to  the  assailants.  The  objections  of  the  Coreans  to 
other  outside  nations,  excepting  Japan,  presented 
themselves  in  a  very  strong  light.  They  pleaded  that 
the  Japanese  should  do  all  that  they  could  to  prevent 
strangers  from  a  distance  attempting  to  visit  them, 
and,  above  all,  they  wanted  Christians  to  be  kept 
away. 

But  to  appeals  of  this  kind  no  response  was 
given,  although  an  erroneous  impression  gained 
currency  at  the  time  among  foreigners  in  Japan  to 
the  effect  that  stipulations  were  made  subjecting 
Europeans  and  Americans  to  Japanese  rule  in  case 
they  should  go  to  the  newly  opened  land,  and  requir- 
ing Japan  to  be  responsible  for  their  behavior.  No 
such  thing  was  done  or  even  remotely  thought  of. 
The  Japanese  negotiations  had  reference  only  to  what 
concerned  this  Empire  and  its  people.  In  regard  to 
commercial  operations,  a  disposition  was  shown  to 
obtain  a  promise  that  certain  objectionable  articles, 
like  opium,  should  never  be  introduced ;    but  details 


CORE  A.  377 

of  that  kind  were  all  postponed  for  consideration  at  a 
much  later  period. 

On  the  twenty-seventh  of  February,  the  Treaty  was 
brought  to  Kokwa,  duly  signed  and  attested,  and 
affirmed  by  the  King's  autograph,  all  as  required. 
Early  on  the  twenty-eighth,  the  embassy  started  home- 
ward, arriving  on  the  first  of  March  at  Simonoseki, 
whence  an  outline  of  the  proceedings  was  telegraphed 
to  the  capital.  On  the  fifth  Kuroda  and  his  compan- 
ions landed  at  Sinagawa,  near  Tokio,  finishing  their 
journey  by  railroad.  They  were  received  with  great 
distinction  in  the  hall  of  the  Dai  Jo  Kuwan,  by  the 
Emperor  and  the  highest  officials  of  the  state.  The 
effect  produced  by  the  intelligence  they  brought  was 
not  confined  to  the  governing  and  the  noble  classes. 
All  Japan  seemed  to  be  presently  in  a  glow  of  excite- 
ment over  the  peaceful  and  successful  result  of  the 
expedition.  The  satisfaction  was  not  so  clamorously 
expressed  as  that  which  followed  the  settlement  of  the 
Formosa  affair,  a  year  before,  but  it  appeared  to  be 
quite  as  general  and  profound. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  the  vast  majority  of  the 
Japanese  at  last  accepted  the  view  that  a  triumph 
thus  obtained  was  the  best  possible  event  that  could 
have  happened  for  the  country.  Even  those  who 
had  been  most  resolutely  bent  upon  a  conflict  were 
silenced,  if  not  wholly  convinced.  The  Government 
gained  a  strength  with  the  masses  that  it  never 
before  possessed.  Foreign  observers,  including  many 
of  the  envoys,  were  almost  enthusiastic  in  declaring 
their  surprise  and  admiration.  Now  and  again  it  was 
whispered  that  it  came  a  little  hard  upon  some  of  the 
official  representatives  from  abroad  to  have  to  acknowl- 
edge that  Japan  had  once  more  carried  through  a 
work  which  Western  powers  had  undertaken  in  vain. 


378  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

5 — — 

Two  or  three  of  the  most  prominent  among  them  had 
withheld  their  encouragement  from  the  beginning, 
and  prognosticated  nothing  but  humiliation  and  defeat 
for  the  enterprise ;  but  now,  the  difficulties  having 
been  overcome,  even  they  joined,  though  somewhat 
faintly,  in  the  general  congratulations.  On  all  sides 
it  was  received  as  a  happy  conclusion  that,  in  spite 
of  the  almost  universal  expectation  of  one  period  not 
long  past,  and  the  avowed  desire  of  an  influential 
party  in  Japan,  peace  would  be  maintained,  and  the 
vast  preparations  for  hostilities  turned  to  no  immedi- 
ate use.  These  preparations  were  nevertheless  admit- 
ted to  have  had  great  weight  and  many  indirect  advan- 
tages. It  was  the  knowledge  of  the  readiness  of 
Japan  to  enter  upon  a  conflict,  in  case  of  need,  that 
most  deeply  impressed  Corea  with  the  necessity  of 
abandoning  her  pretentions.  Exactly  the  same  result 
had  come  from  the  Japanese  demonstrations  in  respect 
to  China  a  year  and  a  half  previous.  It  seemed  to 
have  been  adopted  as  a  principle  by  the  Government, 
to  engage  in  no  dispute  the  result  of  which  was 
doubtful,  without  simultaneously  providing  for  the 
worst  emergencies  that  might  arise.  The  American 
and  French  expeditions  to  Corea  were  feeble  affairs, 
and  were  known  to  be  unsupported  by  a  determination 
to  push  them  to  an  extremity.  For  this  reason  they 
were  repulsed.  At  least  one  half  the  secret  of  Japan's 
success  was  the  character  she  had  acquired,  and 
which  she  seemed  resolved  to  maintain,  of  proving 
herself  in  earnest  by  straining  every  energy  to  meet 
the  possible  necessity  of  an  appeal  to  arms  long  before 
that  necessity  became  inevitable. 

The  Treaty  which  followed  on  the  part  of  Japan 
was  signed  by  Kuroda  Kiyotaka  and  Inouye  Kaoru, 
and  for  Corea  by  Shin-Ken  and  Inji  Shio.     It  was 


COREA.  379 


considered  only  as  a  preliminary  paper,  upon  which  a 
more  permanent  Convention  should  subsequently  be 
based.  Conditions  of  trade  were  especially  to  be 
arranged,  and  these  were  subsequently  agreed  upon 
in  the  Corean  capital,  by  officers  especially  assigned 
to  that  work.  But  to  give  complete  validity  to  the 
whole  transactions  of  February,  1876,  it  was  thought 
necessary  that  the  provisions  of  the  second  article 
should  be  expressly  carried  out.  Corea  was  urged 
with  some  earnestness  to  avail  herself  of  "  the  right 
to  send  an  Envoy  to  Tokio  "at  the  earliest  practica- 
ble moment.  On  this  occasion,  no  disposition  to 
interpose  obstacles  was  manifested.  An  embassy 
was  appointed  in  April,  and  on  the  third  of  May  a 
steamship  was  despatched  to  Fusan,  to  bring  over 
these  bearers  of  reciprocal  messages.  They  embarked 
with  little  delay,  and  arrived  in  Yokohama  Bay  on  the 
evening  of  May  twenty-eighth,  having  stopped  briefly 
on  the  way  at  Tsu  Island,  Simonoseki  and  Hiogo. 
They  finally  landed  on  the  morning  of  the  twenty- 
ninth,  and  their  appearance  on  shore  was  signalized 
by  the  gathering  of  a  crowd  whose  eagerness  to  view 
them  may  be  estimated  by  the  fact  that  while  the 
name  of  Corea  has  always  been  familiar  in  the  mouths 
of  the  Japanese,  no  inhabitant  of  that  nation  had 
before  been  seen  in  this  locality  by  any  now  alive. 

It  has  been  mentioned  that  the  relations  between 
the  two  countries  were  virtually  discontinued  two 
generations  ago,  but  more  than  forty  years  had  passed 
since  Corean  travellers  had  come  as  far  eastward  as 
Yokohama  or  Tokio.  In  very  early  days,  the  formal 
visits  were  paid  to  the  ancient  Mikados  or  their 
direct  representatives,  in  Kioto  or  thereabout,  but 
this  practise  was  set  aside  nearly  three  centuries  ago, 
and   was  now   resumed   for   the   first   time.     These 


380  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

visits  were  not  altogether  interrupted,  but  they  were 
subject  to  peculiar  regulations,  in  consequence  of 
which,  as  has  been  explained,  it  is  probable  that  the 
Mikados  never  even  heard  of  them. 

The  new  ambassador  was  more  moderate  in  respect 
to  the  number  of  his  retainers  than  his  ancient  prede- 
cessors, who  were  sometimes  attended  by  four  hundred 
followers.  But  even  he  was  surrounded  by  a  some- 
what formidable  party,  when  it  is  considered  that  the 
entire  expenditure  for  the  journey  and  maintenance 
of  the  guests  was  to  be  sustained,  as  in  other  days, 
by  the  Japanese  Government.  The  number  was 
about  eighty.  There  was  but  one  envoy,  properly 
speaking,  by  name  Kin-ki-shiu.  The  rank  of  this 
official  was  high  in  his  own  land.  He  was  of  course 
a  nobleman,  or  he  could  not  hold  any  position  what- 
ever, Corea  being  in  this  respect  unlike  Japan,  where 
men  of  extremely  humble  origin  may  now  rise  to  the 
highest  political  grades.  In  the  line  of  his  functions 
of  state,  at  home,  he  was  understood  to  be  equal  to 
the  Sangi,  or  Imperial  Councillors,  in  Japan.  The 
question  of  his  exact  station  appeared,  however,  to  be 
complicated  by  an  effort  to  classify  him  in  some  way 
as  an  officer  for  foreign  affairs.  The  Coreans,  of 
course,  have  no  Foreign  Department,  and,  in  their 
lack  of  general  acquaintance  with  the  subject,  invested 
him  with  powers  equivalent  only  to  those  of  the  per- 
son holding  the  third  position  in  the  Foreign  Office  of 
Japan.  But  his  movements  were  not  hampered  by 
considerations  of  this  sort.  It  was  determined,  from 
the  first,  to  allow  him  the  fullest  privileges  of  an 
ambassador,  as  they  are  understood  in  common  diplo- 
matic usage.  This  was  partly  out  of  goodwill,  and 
partly  from  motives  of  sound  policy.  On  the  one 
hand,  it  was  desired  to  make  him  as  comfortable  and 


COREA.  381 


free  from  restraint  as  possible ;  on  the  other,  it  was 
not  considered  judicious  to  give  his  Government  the 
opportunity  of  denying  claims  that  might  in  future  be 
made  by  Japanese  envoys  on  the  ground  that  none 
such  were  put  forward  by  the  representative  of  Corea. 

The  effect  of  the  procession  formed  by  the  visitors 
after  landing,  on  the  morning  of  May  twenty-ninth, 
was  curious  and  amusing,  though  not  impressive, 
estimating  it  by  a  Western  standard.  Two  soldiers 
led  the  way.  They  were  followed  by  a  band  of  about 
twenty,  who  played  upon  instruments  which,  having 
been  accepted  as  musical  when  they  were  invented, 
some  thousands  of  years  ago,  are  so  regarded  to  this 
day  —  in  the  East.  They  consisted  of  tubes  of  reed 
and  wood,  in  various  forms,  the  tones  of  all  of  which 
were  harsh  and  dissonant  to  foreign  ears,  and  numer- 
ous objects  of  percussion  in  skin  and  brass.  The 
performance  was  not  agreeable  to  American  or  Euro- 
pean listeners,  though  why  the  Japanese  derided  it,  as 
they  persistently  did,  it  is  difficult  to  understand. 

Following  the  band,  marched  two  young  men,  who 
were  then  and  afterwards  generally  mistaken  for  girls, 
in  consequence  of  their  hair  being  parted  in  the  mid- 
dle and  braided  in  long  tails.  They  belonged  to  a 
class  to  whom  the  care  of  important  documents  of 
state  is  confided.  Next  came  a  body  of  military 
attaches,  bearing  spears  and  flags.  Then  the  envoy, 
seated  high  in  air,  upon  a  tiger-skin  covered  bench  or 
stool  fitted  into  a  platform  some  eight  feet  square, 
which  was  held  aloft  by  the  arms  or  shoulders  of  eight 
men.  He  was  especially  escorted  by  the  four  officers 
next  below  him  —  at  a  great  distance  —  in  rank,  and 
was  followed  by  a  servant  bearing  a  huge  umbrella. 
The  few  remaining  members  of  the  suit  rode  in  Jap- 
anese "  jin  riki  sha,"  drawn  by  native  laborers. 


382  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

The  costumes  of  the  party,  as  a  rule,  were  not 
striking.  The  hues  were  various  enough,  but  were 
far  from  harmonious  in  their  disposition,  and  the  best 
of  the  silks  were  coarse  and  ill-wrought.  In  form, 
the  garments  were  nearly  all  alike.  Shoes  of  Chinese 
shape,  tightly  bound  leggings  after  the  Chinese  pat- 
tern, trousers  broad  and  loose,  reaching  a  little  below 
the  knees,  silken  coats  fitting  with  partial  compactness 
and  half  hidden  by  a  species  of  loose  overshirt  were 
worn  by  all.  Hats  were  common,  but  apparently  not 
indispensable.  The  best  were  constructed  of  horse 
hair  cloth,  semi-transparent,  and  stretched  upon  light 
frames.  Others  were  of  more  solid  fabrics,  but  all 
were  similar  in  shape,  conical  and  broad  brimmed. 
Some  were  decorated  with  artificial  plumes,  some  with 
natural  feathers,  and  some  with  drooping  chains  of 
variously  colored  beads,  which  also  served  as  fasten- 
ings. From  the  usual  method  of  dressing  the  hair, 
fastening  it  in  a  heavy  knot  on  the  top  of  the  head, 
there  was  no  variation  excepting  in  the  cases  of  the 
two  lads  before  mentioned.  Most  of  them  wore 
beards,  though  not  in  profusion.  The  majority  of  the 
party  were  tall,  as  compared  with  Japanese,  and  well- 
proportioned.  The  envoy  himself  was  a  man  who 
would  attract  attention  wherever  he  might  travel  :  of 
good  stature,  dignified  and  manly  bearing,  and  with  a 
countenance  which,  when  not  half  hidden  by  the 
unwieldy  home-made  spectacles  he  generally  used, 
indicated  intelligence. 

After  breakfasting  at  the  Town  Hall  of  Yokohama, 
the  guests  proceeded  in  the  same  order  of  march  to 
the  railway  station,  and  were  conveyed  to  Tokio  in 
one  of  the  regular  trains,  extra  carriages  being  pro- 
vided for  their  accommodation.  Their  arrival  was 
witnessed  by  the  largest  crowd   of    spectators   that 


COREA.  383 


had  assembled  upon  any  occasion  within  the  memory 
of  foreigners.  •  It  had,  indeed,  only  recently  come  to 
the  knowledge  of  the  Japanese  populace  that  they 
were  permitted  to  gather  in  great  numbers  for  any 
purpose. 

From  the  terminus  in  the  capital  the  envoy  was 
conducted  to  the  residence  prepared  for  him  and  his 
followers  —  a  distance  of  about  two  miles.  The 
same  stately  precision  was  observed  in  the  formation 
and  movement  of  the  procession,  and  the  same  music 
desolated  the  air  as  before.  The  immense  body  ot 
spectators  were  profuse,  in  good  humor,  and  by  no 
means  slow  to  demonstrations  of  mirth,  but  never 
rude  or  intrusive,  which,  in  fact,  Japanese  throngs 
have  not  yet  learned  how  to  be.  During  the  remainder 
of  the  day  the  strangers  rested  quietly;  excepting  that 
at  nightfall  their  orchestra  saluted  the  departing  sun 
with  a  burst  of  clangor. 

On  the  morning  of  the  thirtieth,  the  envoy,  attended 
by  a  portion  of  his  retinue,  including  the  band,  visited 
the  Foreign  Office,  to  deliver'  the  credentials  from  his 
Government.  It  was  then  discovered  that  he  had 
been  entrusted  with  no  missive  to  the  Emperor,  ad 
had  not  come  prepared  to  claim  an  audience  with  an} 
person  higher  than  the  Foreign  Minister.  He  was, 
however,  informed,  according  to  the  determination 
before  spoken  of,  that  all  irregularities  in  his  com- 
mission would  be  overlooked,  and  that  he  would  be 
duly  received  at  court.  For  a  time  it  was  doubted 
whether  he  would  be  gratified  with  this  offer,  but  the 
fact  of  its  being  tendered  placed  the  Japanese  where 
they  wished  to  stand  in  regard  to  the  reception  of 
their  own  ministers,  in  future,  by  the  King  of  Corea. 
Thus  the  present  messenger,  who  came  only  with 
the  rank  of  Charg^  as  the  diplomatic  world  generally 


384  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

understands  it,  was  made  an  ambassador  in  spite  of 
himself.  No  business  of  importance  was  transacted 
in  this  interview,  and,  after  returning  home  to  reflect 
upon  the  proposal  of  an  audience,  the  envoy  sent 
word  later  in  the  day,  that  he  would  gratefully  accept 
it. 

On  the  morning  of  the  first  of  June  he  proceeded 
to  the  Imperial  residence,  where  he  was  welcomed 
with  more  than  the  usual  ceremonies,  large  numbers 
of  high  officials  being  present  in  their  most  resplen- 
dent uniforms,  in  order,  probably,  to  produce  as 
imposing  an  effect  as  possible  upon  the  new-comers. 
For  this  occasion,  the  Corean  leader  was  dressed 
entirely  in  white  silk,  with  a  few  ornaments  of  pol- 
ished silver  in  different  parts  of  his  attire.  The  con- 
trast between  the  antique  simplicity  of  this  costume 
and  the  shining  glitter  of  the  Japanese,  was  very 
striking,  and  once  again  it  was  apparent  that,  what- 
ever the  public  functionaries  of  this  country  may 
have  gained,  or  think  they  have  gained,  by  assimi- 
lating their  dress  to  that  of  European  courts,  they 
have  lost  more  than  can  be  described  in  grace,  ele- 
gance and  picturesqueness. 

The  Corean  envoy  took  advantage  of  the  oppor- 
tunity to  present  a  number  of  packages  containing 
specimens  of  the  products  of  his  country.  These 
were  found  to  be  interesting  in  some  respects  as 
curiosities,  but  without  substantial  value.  They  were 
of  the  class  of  complimentary  gifts  which  foreign 
writers  have  always  designated  as  *' tribute,"  although 
that  word  does  not  at  all  convey  the  sense  of  the 
Chinese  character  from  which  it  is  erroneously  trans- 
lated, nor  properly  represent  the  spirit  in  which  the 
offering  is  made.  The  presents  sent  by  the  ruler  of 
one  nation  to  that  of  another,  in  the  East,  do  not 


COREA.  385 


necessarily  carry  with  them  an  acknowledgment  of 
submission,  as  is  generally  supposed  by  distant  com- 
mentators. After  leaving  the  palace,  the  visitors 
were  shown  the  gardens  in  the  old  castle,  and  were 
entertained  in  the  guest-house  of  "  Hama  go  ten." 
Here  the  dinner  served  for  them  was  wholly  in  the 
European  style,  and  although  the  table  implements 
were  awkward  to  manage,  it  was  observed  that  the 
food  itself  appealed  to  their  taste  much  more  pleas- 
antly than  it  did  to  that  of  the  Japanese  when  they 
first  endeavored  to  accustom  themselves  to  it ;  from 
which  it  may  be  presumed  that  animal  food  is  more 
in  accord  with  the  physical  needs  of  inhabitants  of  a 
rigorous  country  like  Corea,  than  with  the  require- 
ments of  the  people  of  Japan. 

After  the  day  of  the  audience,  the  guests  occupied 
themselves  chiefly  with  the  inspection  of  public 
departments,  numerous  industries  and  other  matters 
of  interest  in  which  the  working  of  the  new  Japanese 
system  is  illustrated.  The  post-office,  fire  extinguish- 
ing companies  and  paper  factories  especially  attracted 
their  notice.  Daily  journals  were  supplied  to  them 
regularly  by  order  of  the  Government,  and  to  these 
they  were  said  to  give  much  attention  —  possibly 
because  their  own  movements  were  minutely  chroni- 
cled by  the  Japanese  reporters.  On  one  day  they 
witnessed  a  military  review  in  the  principal  parade 
ground  of  the  city,  which  did  not  fail  to  impress  them 
deeply,  as  in  this  sort  of  display  the  Japanese  have 
reached  a  point  which  few  Western  nations  can  sur- 
pass. On  another,  they  were  shown  the  practical 
operation  of  torpedo  explosions,  before  which  their 
accustomed  affectation  of  stolidity  gave  way  in  an 
excitement  that  much  resembled  a  panic.  They 
received  invitations  to  several  Japanese  private  enter- 


386  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

tainments,  most  of  which  were  readily  accepted ;  but 
they  exhibited  the  greatest  objection  to  meeting,  or 
coming  in  contact  with,  persons  of  any  other  nation- 
ality. It  is  said  that  more  than  one  attempt  was 
made  by  influential  foreigners  to  obtain  interviews 
with  the  ambassador,  which  efforts  were  always  resisted 
with  unvarying  firmness.  On  the  eighteenth  of  June, 
the  visit  having  lasted  about  three  weeks,  the  party 
started  homeward,  reaching  their  own  land  again  at 
the  end  of  ten  days. 

While  reading  the  proofs  of  this  volume,  the  author 
stumbled  upon  an  article  published  in  the  Pall  Mall 
Gazette,  on  the  affairs  of  Corea,  which  is  so  truthful 
and  interesting  that  he  takes  pleasure  in  reproducing 
it  in  this  place  : 

"The  conclusion  of  a  treaty  between  the  United 
States  and  Corea,  adds  another  to  the  peaceful  suc- 
cesses of  American  diplomacy  in  the  far  East.  Nearly 
thirty  years  ago  the  American  Commodore  Perry, 
overcoming  obstacles  which  had  baffled  almost  every 
European  nation,  and  without  firing  a  shot  or  leaving 
ill-feeling  behind,  succeeded  in  opening  Japan  to  foreign 
intercourse.  Four  years  later  Mr.  Townsend  Harris, 
the  American  envoy,  from  the  seclusion  of  his  lega- 
tion at  Shimoda,  without  the  "moral"  support  of  a 
single  gunboat,  negotiated  the  treaty  with  the  Japanese 
which  has  been  the  model  of  all  the  treaties  made  up 
to  the  present  moment  with  that  people.  Two  years 
ago  Commodore  Shufeldt,  in  the  course  of  a  cruise 
round  the  world  in  the  United  States  war-vessel 
Ticonderoga,  called  into  one  of  the  Corean  harbors 
with  a  letter  for  the  King,  expressing  the  desire  of  the 
President  for  a  treaty  of  amity  and  commerce. 

"  Leaving  this  document,  he  departed  as  peacefully 
as  he  had  arrived.     When  the  Coreans  had  had  ample 


CORE  A.  387 


time  to  digest  his  request,  and  to  consult  their  suze- 
rain, the  Emperor  of  China,  the  Commodore  returned 
alone  to  the  United  States,  to  obtain  the  ratification 
of  a  treaty  in  which  the  King  of  Corea  expresses  'his 
earnest  desire  to  establish  relations  between  the  two 
countries  on  a  permanent  and  friendly  footing,  and  to 
facilitate  commercial  intercourse.* 

"  The  history  of  European  intercourse  with  the 
inhabitants  of  the  little  peninsula  in  northeastern 
China  is  brief  and  melancholy.  The  touching  story 
of  the  crew  of  the  Dutch  vessel  wrecked  on  the 
island  of  Quelpaert  in  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth 
century,  who  were  detained  among  the  Coreans  for 
more  than  thirty  years,  as  told  by  their  *  secretary,' 
will  be  found  in  the  pages  of  PinkertoUy  and  need  not 
be  further  referred  to  here.  It  was  not  until  the 
treaty  of  Ticn-tsin  had  opened  North  China  and 
Manchuria  to  the  zeal  of  Roman  Catholic  missionaries, 
that  Corea  was  again  visited  by  Europeans. 

"The  Jesuit  fathers  seem  to  have  made  their  way 
there  about  1862-63.  We  have  now  only  their  own 
accounts  of  what  took  place.  Their  efforts  to  make 
converts  were,  they  say,  crowned  with  success  for 
a  few  years.  But  in  1865  commenced  a  persecu- 
tion unparalleled  even  in  the  frightful  annals  of  relig- 
ious persecution  in  the  East.  It  is  said  that  one 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  Coreans,*  men,  women 
and  children,  lost  their  lives  on  this  occasion.  Of 
the  French  priests  four  alone  escaped  in  disguise, 
and  assisted  by  some  of  the  faithful  of  their  flock. 
An  attempt  was  made  by  the  French  fleet  in  the 
China  seas  to  take  vengeance  for  this  slaughter, 
but  it  was  unsuccessful. 

"  Until  the  history  of  modem  Corea  is  studied  by 
our   scholars    in   the   native  works  themselves,   we 


388  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

cannot  correctly  ascertain  the  cause  of  this  persecu- 
tion. Meantime  the  student  of  the  history  of  other 
Oriental  nations  who  finds  analogous  events  will 
probably  look  for  analogous  causes.  The  subsequent 
attempts  of  the  Jesuits  to  cross  the  Corean  frontier, 
and  the  success  that  attended  them,  will  be  found 
recorded  in  the  Missions  Etranghes. 

"  Monsignor  Ridel,  who  evaded  the  frontier  guards 
and  entered  the  country  in  1878,  has  left  us  an 
account  of  his  adventures.  He  penetrated  Corea, 
he  tells  us,  in  the  hope  of  attaining  the  crown  of 
martyrdom.  In  this  he  was  disappointed,  for  he  was 
promptly  discovered  and  imprisoned,  to  be  released 
a  few  months  afterwards  'at  the  intercession  of  the 
Governments  of  China  and  Japan.  But  tens  of 
thousands  of  wretched  Coreans,  who  were  supposed 
to  be  tainted  with  Christianity,  suffered  death,  and 
many  of  them  with  the  most  horrible  torture,  because 
of  this  gentleman's  ambition  to  become  a  martyr. 
An  American  naval  expedition  sent  to  punish  an 
outrage  on  a  ship  which  sailed  up  the  Corean 
rivers,  met  with  little  more  success  than  its  French 
predecessors. 

"In  1868,  a  steamer  manned  by  American  and 
European  filibusters,  set  out  from  Shanghai  to  rob 
the  tombs  of  Corean  kings,  either  for  the  sake  ti 
the  gold  coffins  in  which  Mendez  Pinto  says  they 
were  enclosed,  or  because  the  Jesuits  reported  that 
the  body  of  a  dead  king  could  be  held  for  almost  any 
ransom. 

*'In  i860,  Ignatieff,  then  Russian  representative  at 
Pekin,  taking  advantage  of  the  Chinese  difficulties 
with  England  and  France,  obtained  the'  cession  of 
a  vast  tract  of  Corean  territory  lying  in  the  Amour 
region. 


COREA.  389 


"  These  are  a  few  of  the  salient  points  in  the  history 
of  Corean  intercourse  with  the  civiUzed  nations  of 
the  West ;  and  it  hardly  seems  a  matter  for  great 
surprise  that  Corea  should  have  preferred  exclusion 
to  more  intercourse  of  this  description.  Nor  is  it 
difficult  to  believe  the  tales  told  by  Japanese  trav- 
ellers of  pillars  erected  over  the  whole  country,  calling 
down  a  curse  on  the  head  of  him  who  should  first 
propose  friendship  with  the  hated  foreigner. 

"  Political  considerations  have  ultimately  prevailed.  \ 
Chinese  and  Japanese  statesmen  have  long  been  per-/ 
suaded  that  the  only  chance  of  preserving  Corea  from 
absorption  into  Russia,  andtheir  own  countries  from  a| 
standing  menace,  was  to  open  it  to  foreign  intercourse.  I 
Following  their  counsels,  Corea  has  now  entered  the  | 
comity  of  nations.     Commercial  advantages  she  has 
few  to   offer.      Her  total  trade  with   Japan   during 
1 88 1,  at  the  three  opened  ports,  hardly  exceeded  a 
quarter  of  a  million  sterling.     There  is  said  to  be 
much  mineral  wealth,  but  this  must  be  mere  surmise 
at  present." 

The  news  has  recently  reached  this  country  that 
Commodore  Robert  W.  Shufeldt  had  succeeded  in 
concluding  a  treaty  between  the  United  States  and 
the  King  of  Corea;  and  it  is  certain  that,  however 
this  event  may  have  been  brought  about,  the  credit  .  1 
will  be  chiefly  given  to  the  J^dilft?  Government  for  .  . 
indirectly  paving  the  way  to  the  successful  negotia- 
tions. 

While  the  preceding  pages  were  passing  through 
the  press,  intelligence  was  received  from  Corea  that 
an  insurrection  had  tak^n  place  at  the  capital ;  and 
that  many  members  of  the  Government  had  been 
murdered,  as  weM  as  certain  Japanese  merchants  and 
Others  residing  in  the  leading  port  of  the  country. 


390  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

During  the  first  week  of  September,  1882,  additional 
information  was  received  at  Washington  to  the  effect 
that  the  Chinese  authorities  had  boldly  interfered  to 
restore  peace  in  the  kingdom,  and  that  the  ruling 
authorities  of  Corea  had  agreed  to  pay  to  Japan  as 
compensation  for  the  outrages  committed  the  sum  of 
two  million,  five  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  two 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  to  the  relatives  of 
the  murdered  Japanese  subjects.  We  thus  see  that, 
as  on  other  occasions,  the  honor  of  Japan  has  been 
vindicated ;  while  the  reputation  of  the  United  States 
and  Great  Britain,  because  of  their  disgraceful  treat- 
ment of  Japan,  are  both  festing  under  a  cloud  of  con- 
demnation. 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  AMERICAN   EXPEDITION 
TO  JAPAN. 

THE  subjoined  correspondence  on  the  above  sub- 
ject is  submitted  as  the  concluding  chapter  of 
this  volume  : 

Washington,  March  30th,  1879. 

My  dear  Mr.  L.: — I  said  to  a  friend  that  the  incep- 
tion of  Commodore  Perry's  expedition  to  Japan  was 
due  to  Mr.  Webster.  As  Secretary  of  State  from 
1850  to  the  time  of  his  death,  he  saw  that  the  acquisi- 
tion of  California  rendered  necessary  and  most  oppor- 
tune the  opening  of  communication  with  Japan,  and 
that  it  should  be  done  in  the  most  friendly  and  con- 
ciliatory manner.  According  to  my  memory,  I  saw 
some  official  letters  from  Daniel  Webster  which  influ- 
enced legislation  (if  any  was  needed)  or  executive 
action.  But  looking  to  the  sketch  of  Webster  by  you 
in  Johnson's  Cyclopaedia,  you  do  not  (as  you  should) 
claim  this  as  the  crowning  work  of  his  career  —  the 
great  triumph  of  his  official  life  as  Secretary  of  State. 

He  spent  his  life  mainly  in  the  Senate,  and  mostly 
in  opposition,  so  that  any  evidence  of  executive  skill 
and  statesmanship  is  the  more  highly  prized. 

Your  connection  with  the  Japanese  Legation  places 
you  in  a  position  to  know  so  well  the  signal  fruits  of 
that  inception,  that  I  venture  to  write  this  note. 

The  lives  of  Commodore  Perry  throw  no  light  on 
39« 


392  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN, 

the  question.     My  access  to  the  proper  authentication 
is  so  poor  that  I  appeal  to  you. 

Yours,  cordially, 

Benjamin  Alvord. 
Mr.  Charles  Lanman. 

Georgetown,  D.  C,  April  loth,  1879. 

My  dear  General  :  —  In  reply  to  your  note  of  the 
30th  ultimo  I  beg  to  submit  the  following  : 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Francis  L.  Hawks  was  a  superb  ora- 
tor, but  in  giving  Commodore  M.  C.  Perry  the  credit 
of  originating  the  expedition  to  Japan  he  committed 
an  error.  In  all  other  particulars  the  record  which  he 
preparec^  of  the  expedition  was  eminently  worthy  of 
both  the  historian  and  the  diplomatic  Commodore. 

As  I  have  always  understood,  Commodore  John  H. 
Aulick  was  the  first  one  who  suggested  the  expediency 
of  sending  a  kind  of  naval  embassy  to  Japan,  but 
Daniel  Webster  was  the  first  member  of  the  Govern- 
ment who  took  official  action  on  the  subject.  In  proof 
of  this  assertion  it  is  only  necessary  that  I  should 
submit  to  your  inspection  the  following  letters,  which 
are  not  generally  known,  both  of  which  were  dictated 
by  Mr.  Webster,  although  one  of  them  bears  the  sig- 
nature of  President  Millard  Fillmore  : 

Department  of  State,  ) 

Washington,  May  9th,  185 1.  j 

Hon.  Wm.  A.  Graham,  Secretary  of  the  Navy. 

Sir  :  —  You  will  doubtless  have  seen  in  the  public 
journals  that  a  number  of  Japanese  were  some  time 
since  picked  up  at  sea,  six  hundred  miles  from  the 
Japanese  Islands,  by  the  barque  Auckland,  Captain 
Jennings,  by  whom  they  had  been  treated  very  kindly, 
brought  into  the  port  of  San  Francisco,  and  subse- 


ORIGIN    OF    THE    AMERICAN    EXPEDITION.  393 

quently  placed  on  board  the  revenue  cutter  Polk  to 
await  arrangements  for  their  return  to  their  native 
country. 

Commodore  Aulick  has  suggested  to  me,  and  I 
cheerfully  concur  in  his  opinion,  that  this  incident 
may  afford  a  favorable  opportunity  for  opening  com- 
mercial relations  with  the  Empire  of  Japan,  or  at  least 
of  placing  our  intercourse  with  that  island  upon  a 
more  easy  footing. 

Under  these  circumstances  I  have  the  honor  to 
inquire  whether  there  is  any  small  national  vessel  on 
the  western  coast  of  the  United  States  that  could, 
without  inconvenience  to  the  public  service,  be  ordered 
to  take  these  unfortunate  men  on  board  at  San  Fran- 
cisco and  proceed  with  them  to  Hong  Kong }  Com- 
modore Aulick  is  charged  with  the  delivery  of  a 
letter  from  the  President  of  the  United  States  to  the 
Emperor  of  Japan.  And  if  these  Japanese  mariners 
can  be  thus  forwarded  to  Hong  Kong,  there  to  await 
the  arrival  of  the  Commodore,  he  could  then  take 
them  on  board  of  one  of  the  vessels  under  his  com- 
mand and  return  them  to  their  native  land.  Accom- 
panied by  an  imposing  naval  force,  as  he  probably 
would  be  on  this  service,  and  with  the  kindly  disposi- 
tion awakened  in  the  bosom  of  the  Emperor  towards 
this  Government  by  the  act  of  restoring  these  unfor- 
tunates to  their  homes,  the  occasion,  it  is  believed, 
would  be  most  auspicious  for  the  accomplishment  of 
the  more  important  objects  of  Commodore  Aulick's 
mission.  I  am,  sir,  respectfully. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

Daniel  Webster. 

The  Japanese  sailors  were  in  due  time  sent  back  to 
their  country  according  to  the  suggestions  of  the 


394  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

foregoing  letter,  and  the  following  letter  was  duly 
communicated  to  Commodore  Aulick,  but  never 
delivered  because  of  his  subsequent  recall : 

Millard    Fillmore,    President    of    the    United 

States  of  America,  to  His  Imperial  Majesty, 

THE  Emperor  of  Japan  : 

Great  and  good  Friend  :  —  I  send  you  this  letter 
by  an  envoy  of  my  own  appointment,  an  officer  of 
high  rank  in  his  country,  who  is  no  missionary  of 
religion.  He  goes  by  my  command,  to  bear  to  you 
my  greeting  and  good  wishes,  and  to  promote  friendship 
and  commerce  between  tjie  two  countries. 

You  know  that  the  United  States  of  America  now 
extends  from  sea  to  sea ;  that  the  great  countries  of 
Oregon  and  California  are  parts  of  the  United  States; 
and  that  from  these  countries,  which  are  rich  in  gold 
and  silver  and  precious  stones,  our  steamers  can 
reach  the  shores  of  your  happy  land  in  less  than 
twenty  days. 

Many  of  our  ships  will  now  pass  in  every  year,  and 
some  perhaps  in  every  week,  between  California  and 
China  ;  these  ships  must  pass  along  the  coast  of  your 
Empire  ;  storms  and  winds  may  cause  them  to  be 
wrecked  on  your  shores,  and  we  ask  and  expect,  from 
your  friendship  and  your  greatness,  kindness  for  our 
men  and  protection  for  our  property.  We  wish  that 
our  people  may  be  permitted  to  trade  with  your  peo- 
ple ;  but  we  shall  not  authorize  them  to  break  any 
law  of  your  Empire.  Our  object  is  friendly  commer- 
cial intercourse,  and  nothing  more.  You  have  many 
productions  which  we  should  be  glad  to  buy  ;  and  we 
have    productions  which    might    suit    your   people. 

Your  Empire  has  a  great  abundance  of  coal.  This 
is  an  article  which  our  steamships,   in  going  from 


ORIGIN    OF   THE   AMERICAN    EXPEDITION.  395 

California  to  China,  must  use.  They  would  be  glad 
that  a  harbor  in  your  Empire  should  be  appointed  to 
which  coal  might  be  brought,  and  where  they  might 
always  be  able  to  purchase  it. 

In  many  other  respects,  commerce  between  your 
Empire  and  our  country  would  be  useful  to  both. 
Let  us  consider  well  what  new  interests  arise  from 
the  recent  events  which  have  brought  our  two  coun- 
tries so  near  together,  and  what  purposes  of  friend- 
ship, amity  and  intercourse  they  ought  to  inspire  into 
the  breasts  of  those  who  govern  both  countries. 
Farewell. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  at  the  City  of  Wash- 
ington, the  loth  day  of  May,  185 1,  and  of  the  Inde- 
pendence of  the  United  States  the  seventy-fifth. 

Millard  Fillmore. 
By  the  President, 

Daniel  Webster,  Secretary  of  State. 

It  was  during  the  very  month  when  the  foregoing 
letters  were  written,  that  I  became  in  reality  Mr. 
Webster's  Private  Secretary,  although  my  official 
position  from  that  month  to  the  following  September, 
was  that  of  Librarian  of  the  War  Department,  after 
resigning  which  I  was  placed  ostensibly  in  charge 
of  the  Copyright  Bureau  in  the  Department  of  State. 
I  very  well  remember  that  on  several  occasions  Mr. 
Webster  and  Commodore  Perry  had  various  consulta- 
tions at  the  Department  of  State  on  the  subject  of 
the  proposed  expedition ;  but  I  cannot  throw  any 
light  on  the  reasons  which  induced  the  Navy  Depart- 
ment, at  a  subsequent  period,  to  recall  Commodore 
Aulick  from  the  far  East,  and  to  turn  over  to  Com- 
modore Perry  the  entire  control  of  the  proposed 
expedition.      That   I   should  have  been    personally 


396  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

cognizant  of  Mr.  Webster's  action  in  regard  to  Japan 
in  185 1,  and  that,  just  twenty  years  afterwards,  I 
should,  through  Professor  Joseph  Henry,  and  without 
any  action  on  my  part,  have  become  indentified  with 
the  Japanese  Legation  in  Washington,  is  certainly  to 
me  a  gratifying,  if  not  important  coincidence. 

The  commission  to  Commodore  (then  Captain) 
Aulick,  was  dated  on  the  thirtieth  of  May,  185 1,  and 
the  instructions  which  he  soon  afterwards  received 
referred  in  hopeful  terms  to  the  time  when  the  last 
link  in  the  great  chain  of  oceanic  steam  navigation 
should  be  formed,  pointed  out  the  manner  in  which 
the  shipwrecked  sailors,  should  be  delivered  to  the 
Japanese  authorities,  mentions  various  objects  to  be 
provided  for  in  the  proposed  treaty,  and  also  recom- 
mends the  propriety  of  securing  a  period  of  three 
years  for  the  exchange  of  ratifications. 

The  letter  of  instructions  here  mentioned  was 
dated  June  10,  185 1,  in  all  particulars  characteristic 
of  Mr.  Webster,  but  nothing  more  so  than  the  follow- 
ing sentence : 

*'It  is  considered  important  that  you  should  avail 
yourself  of  every  occasion  to  impress  upon  the 
Japanese  officers,  with  whom  you  will  be  brought 
in  contact,  that  the  Government  of  the  United  States 
does  not  possess  any  power  over  the  religion  of  its 
own  citizens,  and  that  there  is,  therefore,  no  cause  to 
apprehend  that  it  will  interfere  with  the  religion  of 
other  countries." 

After  Mr.  Webster's  death,  as  you  know,  his 
intimate  friend  Edward  Everett  became  Secretary 
of  State;  his  zeal  and  interest  were  no  less  con- 
spicuous than  those  which  had  been  manifested  by 
Mr.  Webster,  and   all   the   documents   necessary  to 


ORIGIN    OF    THE    AMERICAN    EXPEDITION.  39/ 

fit  out  Commodore  Perry  were  duly  prepared  under 
the  direction  of  Mr.  Everett.  It  may  be  safely 
asserted,  however,  that  had  it  not  been  for  Mr. 
Webster's  far-seeing  statesmanship,  the  Empire  of 
Japan  would  not  at  this  time  be  universally  acknowl- 
edged as  one  of  the  most  patriotic,  refined,  sincere, 
and  progressive  of  existing  nations.  Eight  years 
have  now  elapsed  since  I  began  to  study  its  beautiful 
scenery  and  the  many  interesting  traits  of  its  people, 
and  to-day  my  enthusiasm  is  without  a  shadow  of 
abatement. 

I  remain,  dear  General,  sincerely  yours, 

Charles  Lanman. 
General  Benjamin  Alvord, 

United  States  Army,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Since  writing  the  foregoing  letter  I  have  procured 
some  additional  information  bearing  upon  the  earliest 
intercourse  of  the  United  States  with  Japan  ;  and 
while  it  does  not  invalidate  the  claim  I  have  made 
that  Mr.  Webster  was  the  first  whose  efforts  were 
really  effectual,  it  is  only  just  that  I  should  send  you 
the  following  interesting  particulars  : 

From  a  manuscript  in  the  Department  of  State,  I 
learn  that  in  1832,  Edmund  Roberts,  a  sea  captain  of 
New  Hampshire,  was  designated  by  President  Andrew 
Jackson  as  an  "agent  for  the  purpose  of  examining 
in  the  Indian  Ocean  the  means  of  extending  the  Com- 
merce of  the  United  States  by  commercial  arrange- 
ments with  the  powers  whose  dominions  border  on 
those  seas."  He  was  directed  to  be  very  careful  in 
obtaining  information  respecting  Japan,  the  means 
of  opening  a  communication  with  the  Empire,  and 
the  value  of  its  trade  with  the  Dutch  and  Chinese. 
By  the  Secretary  of  State  then   in   office,  Edward 


398  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

Livingston,  he  was  instructed  that  the  United  States 
had  it  in  contemplation  to  institute  a  separate  mission 
to  Japan.     But  nothing  was  accomplished. 

In  1845,  Alexander  Everett,  the  Commissioner 
to  China,  under  President  Polk,  was  empowered  to 
open  negotiations  with  the  Japanese  Government, 
and  Commodore  James  Biddle  was  instructed  to  take 
the  utmost  care  to  ascertain  if  the  ports  of  Japan 
were  accessible.  He  actually  visited  the  Bay  of  Yedo 
in  the  ship  Columbus,  and  remained  several  days,  but 
the  Japanese  refused  to  open  their  ports,  and  the 
Commodore  retired. 

In  1849,  Commander  Glynn,  U.  S.  N.,  was  sent 
to  Nagasaki  to  liberate  some  American  sailors  who 
had  been  imprisoned  there,  and  was  successful.-  On 
his  return  he  expressed  the  opinion  that  then  "was  a 
favorable  time  to  enter  upon  a  negotiation  with  Japan." 
And  again  nothing  was  accomplished. 

In  185 1  the  Dutch  Government  had  the  monopoly 
of  foreign  trade  in  Japan,  and  it  was  because  the 
Dutch  minister  in  Washington  had  reported  to  the 
United  States  Government  that  there  would  be  no 
modification  of  her  poUcy  by  Japan,  that  Daniel 
Webster  took  the  step  which  led  to  success. 

And  now,  by  way  of -throwing  still  more  light  upon 
this  interesting  subject,  I  append  the  following  com- 
munication sent  from  Boston,  by  a  Japanese  student, 
to  the  editor  of  the  Tokio  Times,  on  the  sixth  of 
November,  1879. 

Sir:  —  I  read  with  pleasure  the  correspondence  of 
Mr.  Charles  Lanman,  published  in  the  Philadelphia 
Progress,  and  inserted  in  your  issue  of  September  6th, 
1879,  gi^'ii^g  the  connection  of  Daniel  Webster  with 
the  original  movements  for  establishing  intercourse 


ORIGIN    OF    THE   AMERICAN    EXPEDITION.  399 

between  Japan  and  the  United  States  of  America. 
In  bringing  us  over  from  secluded  darkness  into 
the  light  of  the  nineteenth  century,  we,  the  Japanese, 
owe  a  sea  of  gratitude  to  the  Government  and  people 
of  the  United  States,  and  any  information  which 
throws  light  upon  the  undertaking  which  has  pro- 
duced such  a  mighty  result,  will,  without  doubt,  be 
welcomed  by  the  world  at  large. 

In  the  correspondence  to  which  I  refer.  General 
Alvord  claims  the  "inception"  of  Commodore  Perry's 
expedition  for  Mr.  Webster,  while  Mr.  Lanman 
attributes  it  to  Commodore  Aulick.  The  following 
information  which  I  have  obtained  from  public  and 
private  sources  seems  to  ship  the  authorship  of  the 
great  idea  upon  another  individual.  It  may  be,  how- 
ever, that  Daniel  Webster,  Com.  Aulick  and  Mr.  Pratt 
all  conceived  the  idea  independently  from  each  other. 
History  furnishes  many  instances  of  such  cases. 

During  the  winter  of  1 878-79,  I  received  the  follow- 
ing letter  through  a  friend  of  mine  : 

Mt.  Ida,  Jan.  17th,  1879. 
Mv  dear  Sir  :  —  In  reply  to  the  note  of  your 
friend  Shinichiro  Saito,  I  beg  to  give  the  fact  that 
Honorable  Zadoc  Pratt,  Prattsville,  Green  County, 
N.  Y.,  member  of  Congress,  in  February,  1845,  ^^^^ 
before  the  House  of  Representatives  a  report  in 
favor  of  taking  preliminary  measures  for  .entering 
into  commercial  arrangements  with  the  Empire 
of  Japan,  and  the  Kingdom  of  Corea.  The  report 
gave  all  the  accessible  statistics  of  these  two  great 
nations,  and  pointed  out  the  advantages  which  would 
result  from  an  intimate  intercourse  with  them.  The 
successful  issue  of  the  mission  to  China  showed  that 


400  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

an  attempt  to  extend  intercourse  in  that  quarter  of 
the  globe  might  be  safely  undertakea 

Mr.  Pratt  was  a  tanner,  and  an  uneducated  man. 
John  Ouincy  Adams  —  who  was  in  Congress  with 
him  —  said,  "  If  he  (Mr.  Pratt)  had  our  experience, 
with  his  practical  knowledge,  he  would  be  a  match 
for  us  all." 

The  proposition  of  Mr.  Pratt  was  received  with  but 
little  favor,  and  whether  it  was  even  alluded  to  when 
the  expedition  of  Commodore  Perry  was  authorized, 
I  am  unable  to  say.  The  Congressional  Record  would 
show.  Our  friend,  doubtless,  could  obtain  all  the 
particulars  by  writing  to  Honorable  C.  M.  Ingersoll, 
of  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  who  is  a  son-in-law  of 
the  late  Mr.  Pratt,  and  has  all  his  papers. 
Believe  me,  etc.,  etc., 

Nahum  Capen. 

Immediately  upon  the  receipt  of  this  letter,  I 
wrote  to  Mr.  Ingersoll,  who  sent  me  the  following 
reply : 

New  Haven,  Feb.  4th,  1879. 
Dear  Sir  :  —  ....  I  have  no  impression  regard- 
ing the  matter  beyond  that  furnished  to  the  public. 
My  father-in-law  told  me  that  the  importance  of  con- 
tracting relations  with  Japan  occurred  to  him,  and 
that  he  asked  accordingly.  I  will  look  over  the 
papers,  and  if  I  find  any  thing  throwing  light  upon 

the  subject  I  will  communicate 

Respectfully,  etc., 

Colvin  M.  Ingersoll. 
Mr.  Saito,  etc. 

The  fourteenth  volume  of  the  Congressional  Globe, 
page  294,  shows  the  following  : 


origin  of  the  american  expedition.       4oi 

Second  Session,  Twenty-Eighth  Congress. 

February  15th,  1845. 
"Mr.  Pratt,  chairman  of  the  select  committee  on 
statistics,  remarking  that,  when  the  civil  and  diplo- 
matic bill  came  up,  he  should  move  an  amendment  to 
defray  the  expenses  of  a  mission  to  the  Empire  of 
Japan,  laid  on  the  table  statistics  and  facts  relative  to 
that  subject,  which  were  ordered  to  be  printed." 

These  "  statistics  and  facts,"  ordered  to  be  prmted, 
form  No.  138  of  the  Executive  Documents,  2d  session, 
28th  Congress ;  —  which  is  as  follows  : 

Extension  of  American  Commerce  —  Proposed 
Mission  to  Japan  and  Corea. 

February  15th,  1845  *  Read,  and  laid  upon  the 
table.  Mr.  Pratt  submitted  the  following,  in  reference 
to  proposed  amendments,  which  he  intends  to  submit 
in  a  bill  now  before  the  house. 

Proposed  Mission  to  Japan  and  Corea. —  Whereas 
it  is  important  to  the  general  interests  of  the  United 
States  that  steady  and  persevering  efforts  should  be 
made  for  the  extension  of  American  commerce,  con- 
nected as  that  commerce  is  with  the  agriculture  and 
manufactures  of  our  country  ;  be  it  therefore  — 

Resolved^  That  in  furtherance  of  this  object,  it  is 
hereby  recommended  that  immediate  measures  be 
taken  for  effecting  commercial  arrangements  with  the 
Empire  of  Japan  and  the  Kingdom  of  Corea,  for  the 
following  among  other  reasons  : 

Memorandum  concerning  the  proposed  mission  to 
Japan  and  Corea.  The  importance  of  intercourse  with 
the  Japanese  Empire  has  led  to  various  attempts,  by 
different  nations,  at  sundry  periods  within  the  last 
three   hundred   years.     Though   all   these   attempts, 


402  LEADING    MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

excepting  the  Dutch,  have  proved  abortive,  that  is 
not  an  adequate  reason  for  our  refraining  from  making 
a  vigorous  effort  now. 

The  Chinese  Empire,  long  barricaded  against  com- 
mercial intercourse  or  diplomatic  relations  with  other 
countries,  is  now  measurably  thrown  open  for  the 
enterprise  of  Americans,  as  among  "  the  most  favored 
nations;"  and  there  is  much  reason  for  believing 
that  a  judicious  embassy,  characterized  by  justice, 
which  should  ever  sway  our  Government,  will  succeed 
in  establishing  intercourse  with  Japan  and  Corea  that 
may  be  largely  beneficial  to  the  American  people. 

Though  Japan  and  Corea  are  much  less  extensive 
and  populous  than  China  (with  which  we  have  just 
concluded  an  advantageous  treaty),  both  countries 
are  well  worthy  of  attention  from  the  American  peo- 
ple. Debarred  from  intercourse  with  Japan,  the 
remainder  of  the  world  has  paid  less  attention  to  that 
Empire  than  its  character  may  justly  demand.  With 
a  population  exceeding  fifty  millions  (about  thrice  as 
numerous  as  the  w^hole  population  of  the  United 
States),  the  Japanese  Empire  combines  a  degree  of 
civilization  and  power  that  may  well  render  it  respect- 
able and  formidable  among  the  nations  of  the  earth. 
That  civilization,  even  judging  from  our  imperfect 
knowledge  concerning  it,  places  Japan  in  advance  of 
several  countries  with  which  our  Government  now  main- 
tained diplomatic  and  commercial  relations.  The  indus- 
try of  the  Japanese  is  said  to  be  comparable  with  that  of 
the  Chinese  ;  and  many  of  the  leading  arts  of  useful  life 
are  practised  by  them  with  a  degree  of  success  unsur- 
passed in  some  of  the  European  nations  with  which 
we  are  on  terms  of  political  intercourse.  Though 
nearly  all  foreign  trade  is  forbidden,  the  internal 
commerce  of  Japan  (the  trade  between  its  large  cities 


ORIGIN    OF    THE    AMERICAN    EXPEDITION.  4O3 

and  populous  provinces)  is  very  extensive  ;  the  inter- 
course between  the  great  markets  and  all  sections  of 
the  Empire  being  facilitated  by  numerous  coasting 
vessels  and  well-conditioned  roads. 

The  power  of  the  Government  may  be  estimated 
by  the  statement  that  the  army  ordinarily  consists  of 
about  one  hundred  thousand  infantry  and  twenty 
thousand  jcavalry,  which  force  is  increased  in  warfare 
to  more  than  four  hundred  thousand  men.  And  as 
for  agriculture,  where  in  the  world  is  there  a  country 
more  industriously  cultivated  ?  The  few  travellers 
who  have  ever  "  penetrated  the  interior,"  concur  in 
stating  that  the  soil  of  Japan,  though  not  naturally 
fertile,  has  been  so  much  improved  as  to  be  rendered 
extremely  productive ;  and  the  face  of  the  country, 
even  on  the  mountain  sides  (which  are  formed  into 
terraces,  as  in  some  parts  of  Italy  and  Persia)  is  so 
diligently  cultivated  that  it  would  be  difficult  to  find 
in  the  country  a  single  nook  of  untilled  land,  even  to 
the  dry  summits  of  the  mountains.  Jeddo,  the  chief 
town  of  the  Empire,  is  reputed  to  be  one  of  the 
largest  cities  of  the  world.  Little  as  we  know  of 
Japan,  in  comparison  with  our  knowledge  of  other 
countries,  we  know  enough  of  it  to  render  us  desirous 
of  a  closer  acquaintance. 

Corea  also  possesses  a  large  population,  estimated 
at  fifteen  millions ;  and  assimilates  in  character  with 
the  Chinese  Empire,  with  which  it  is  slightly  con- 
nected in  political  relations.  The  Coreans  and  Chi- 
nese, it  may  be  added,  are  now  nearly  the  only  for- 
eigners with  whom  the  Japanese  allow  any  business 
intercourse,  however  limited.  Though  we  cannot 
expect  anything  like  equal  advantages  from  intercourse 
with  Corea,  it  seems  desirable  to  include  that  country 
along  with  Japan  in  the  projected  mission,  as  negotia^ 


404  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

tions  may  be  despatched  with  little  additional  expense 
by  the  same  ambassador. 

With  the  successful  issue  of  the  late  mission  to  the 
Chinese  Empire,  we  may  feel  well  encouraged  to 
attempt  an  extension  of  our  commercial  intercourse 
with  other  nations  nearly  similarly  situated;  and 
where  can  we  now  find  a  better  field  for  enterprise 
than  is  furnished  by  the  countries  included  in  the 
proposed  mission  —  the  Empire  of  Japan  and  the 
Kingdom  of  Corea,  with  their  aggregate  population  of 
sixty  or  seventy  millions. 

The  mission  should  be  placed  on  a  liberal  basis. 
The  day  and  the  hour  h^ve  now  arrived  for  turning 
the  enterprise  of  our  merchants  and  seamen  into  the 
harbors  and  markets  of  those  long  secluded  countries. 
Another  year  will  not  elapse  before  the  American 
people  will  be  able  to  rejoice  in  the  knowledge  that 
the  Star  Spangled  Banner  is  recognized  as  an  ample 
passport  and  protection  for  all  who,  of  our  enterpris- 
ing countrymen,  may  be  engaged  in  extending  Amer- 
ican commerce  into  the  countries  to  which  it  is  now 
proposed  to  despatch  suitable  diplomatic  and  commer- 
cial agents  on  behalf  of  Government. 

Believing  that  the  above  communications  and  doc- 
uments will  prove  of  interest  to  all  who  are  concerned 
in  tracing  the  origin  of  relations  between  Japan  and 
the  American  Republic,  I  submit  them  for  publication 
in  the  Tokio  Times.         Yours  respectfully, 

Shinichiro  Saito. 

Treaty  Revision.  — NichiNichi  Shimbun^  Dec.  20,  'jj. 

Ever  since  the  draft  of  the  circular  letter  respect- 
ing Treaty  revisions  from  our  Government  to  the 
Japanese    Ministers   at   the  various   Foreign    Courts 


ORIGIN   OF   THE    AMERICAN    EXPEDITION.  405 

transpired  in  the  Herald  newspaper,  this  has  been 
a  question  much  discussed,  but  as  the  said  draft  is 
still  a  diplomatic  secret,  we  are  unable  to  inform  our 
readers  what  progress  the  negotiations  have  made 
since  then.  According  to  public  rumor,  however, 
the  proposals  contained  in  it  refer  solely  to  the  right 
of  Customs  Taxation,  and  it  manifests  an  intention 
of  allowing  the  stipulations  of  the  original  Treaties  to 
stand  so  far  as  the  question  of  extra  territoriality  is 
concerned.  We  are  inclined  to  believe  this  rumor, 
but  as  we  have  never  seen  a  complete  copy  of  the 
draft,  we  cannot  speak  with  certainty  on  this  point. 
Without  reference,  however,  to  special  secrets,  the 
public,  in  discussing  the  question  of  the  Revision 
of  the  Treaties,  have  assembled  about  it  their  sharpest 
spear-point  of  argument,  and  each  writer  has  severally 
given  expression  to  his  own  views.  There  are  points 
of  difference  among  them,  it  is  true,  but  if  we  observe 
the  substantial  gist  of  their  arguments,  it  is  this  : 
They  all  agree  in  being  eager  to  devise  means  for 
the  restoration  of  our  rights  as  an  independent  nation, 
so  that  the  prestige  of  this  country  may  be  maintained, 
and  the  preservation  of  peace  and  security  may  be 
ensured. 

This  is  the  position  in  which  the  question  now 
stands,  and  now  is  the  time  for  us  newspaper  editors 
who  are  the  mediums  of  public  opinion  to  devote 
our  closest  attention  to  it.  We  shall  not  fail  to  bring 
to  our  readers*  notice  any  proposal  or  any  opinion 
which  has  a  bearing  upon  it. 

In  listening  attentively  to  the  arguments  of  both 
natives  and  foreigners,  and  noting  the  differences 
among  them,  we  observe  that  for  the  most  part  those 
writers  who  argue  chiefly  from  principles,  contend 
that  in  this  matter  of  the  present  revision  it  is  necessary 


406  LEADING   MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

that  we  should  recover  at  once  both  our  great  rights, 
viz. :  of  jurisdiction  and  taxation,  while  those  whose 
reasonings  are  based  on  facts  maintain  that  in  the 
present  revision  the  best  plan  is  for  us  to  endeavor 
to  recover  our  right  of  Customs  Taxation,  and  to 
wait  until  our  civil  and  criminal  law  is  reformed 
before  claiming  the  restoration  of  our  right  of  juris- 
diction. This  difference  is  not  confined  to  the  articles 
of  native  writers.  We  observe  that  the  views  of 
foreigners  are  distinguishable  into  two  classes  in  the 
same  way.  Judging  from  present  circumstances,  how- 
ever, we  think  with  regret  that  we  must  after  all  con- 
fine ourselves  to  the  results  anticipated  by  the  latter 
class  of  writers. 

Now  amongst  those  writers  who  are  eager  to  cancel 
the  stipulation  of  extra  territorial  rights  at  the  earliest 
possible  moment,  some  are  in  favor  of  adopting  a 
modification  of  the  new  Egyptian  Treaty  and  estab 
lishing  mixed  courts;  others  prefer  to  imitate  an 
ancient  known  institution,  and  to  establish  Courts  of 
Equity  for  the  trial  of  all  civil  cases  in  which  natives 
and  foreigners  are  concerned.  But  we  have  heard 
that  the  gentlemen  learned  in  law  who  were  sent  by 
the  Government  to  Egypt  for  the  express  purpose 
of  observing  the  working  of  the  Egyptian  courts, 
have  reported  that  their  advantages  were  equalled  by 
their  disadvantages,  and  that  they  were  unsuitable 
for  adoption  in  Japan  Again  the  proposal  for  the 
institution  of  new  Courts  of  Equity  has  no  doubt 
its  advantages,  but  it  is  feared  that  if  these  courts 
were  established  concurrently  with  the  ordinary 
courts  there  would  be  a  clashing  of  jurisdictions. 
We  believe  that  neither  of  these  two  proposals  has 
yet  been  sufficiently  discussed,  and  it  is  impossible 
at  present  to  pronounce  definitely  in  favor  of  either. 


ORIGIN   OF    THE   AMERICAN    EXPEDITION.  407 

If  both  are  rejected,  what  is  then  to  be  done  ? 

Again,  in  regard  to  the  revision  of  the  tariff,  there 
are  some  foreigners,  who  (though  not  even  they 
think  it  unfair)  would  wish  to  establish  a  certain 
limit,  and  are  averse  to  transferring  entirely  to  this 
country  the  right  of  Customs  Taxation.  This  idea, 
however,  is  contrary  to  natural  principles,  and  as  it 
proceeds  from  a  selfish  desire  to  encroach  on  the 
rights  of  another  country,  it  can  never  be  carried 
into  execution,  and  if  we  consider  that  even  among 
foreigners  there  are  only  a  very  small  number  who 
take  this  view,  we  see  how  little  is  the  chance  of  its 
adoption.  It  is  manifest  that  if  we  except  these  few, 
the  united  opinion  of  Japanese  and  foreigners  is  in 
favor  of  the  right  of  Customs  Taxation  being  restored 
to  Japan  in  its  entirety  on  the  occasion  of  the  present 
Revision,  so  that  there  is  no  reason  for  over  anxiety 
as  to  the  results  of  the  negotiation.  Now  when  this 
right  has  been  restored  to  us,  what  is  the  next  step.^ 
No  doubt  the  Import  Tariff  will  be  revised,  and 
additional  duties  imposed.  But  here  the  protectionist 
steps  in,  and  urges  that  in  order  to  encourage  home 
production,  duties  of  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  per 
cent,  should  be  imposed  on  imports  until  the  good 
effects  of  protection  are  visible.  Again  the  advocates 
of  free  trade  will  maintain  that  although  for  purpose 
of  revenue  an  increase  of  duties  is  required,  these 
duties  should  be  as  light  as  possible,  that  even 
granting  that  a  protective  duty  might  be  levied  on 
manufactures,  the  production  of  which  there  is  some 
special  reason  for  stimulating,  protective  duties  in 
general  are  inadvisable.  There  is  no  sign  of  these 
tvo  views  becoming  harmonized.  Which  is  the  more 
suitable  for  Japan  under  present  circumstance    ? 

Again  in  the  collection  of  duties,  there  ) 


408  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

systems,  that  of  specific,  and  that  of  ad  valorem 
duties.  In  the  former  case,  the  duty  is  levied  at 
so  much  per  catty,  or  foot,  as  for  instance  tobacco 
which  is  3.75  momme  per  catty,  cotton  yarn  which  is 
seventy-five  momme  per  picul.  Ad  valorem  duties 
are  levied  at  so  much  on  the  original  value  of  the 
article,  as  glass  and  wines  and  spirits,  which  pay  five 
per  cent,  on  their  original  value.  Both  systems  are 
combined  in  the  present  Tariff,  specific  or  ad  valorem 
duties  being  charged  according  to  the  kind  of  mer- 
chandize ;  but  this  combination  is  fruitful  of  much 
trouble  to  the  Customs  officials,  and  seems  inad- 
visable. Again  in  the  case  of  specified  duties,  no 
note  is  taken  of  the  quality  of  the  goods,  so  that 
articles  of  fine  quality  and  high  price  are  lucky  in 
being  charged  a  low  duty,  while  coarse  and  cheap 
articles  on  the  other  hand  are  subjected  to  a  burden- 
some tax.  Nor  is  the  ad  valorem  system  free  from 
objection.  To  prevent  the  Customs  officials  from 
being  deceived  by  fraudulent  invoices  furnished  them 
by  importers,  it  is  necessary  to  employ  a  staff  of 
valuators.  When  the  time  comes  therefore  for  the 
revision,  will  a  system  of  specific  or  of  ad  valorem 
duties  be  adopted,  or  a  combination  of  them  retained 
as  at  present  ? 

These  are  questions  on  which  public  opinion  has 
not  yet  formed  any  definite  conclusion,  and  they 
seem  to  be  very  important  points.  Another  point  is 
strongly  urged  by  some,  viz. :  that  foreigners  should 
not  be  allowed  to  travel  irr  the  interior,  and  others 
suggest  that  in  addition  to  the  present  entrance  and 
clearance  dues,  harbor  tonnage,  and  light  dues  should 
be  imposed.  These  are  questions  on  which  our  readers 
should  form  an  opinion,  and  we  therefore  put  them 
forward  in  order  to  elicit  their  views. 


ADDITIONAL  NOTES. 

IT  was  in  1868,  the  first  year  of  the  present  Emper- 
or's reign,  that  he  issued  a  manifesto,  to  wit : 

"  Japanese  learning  has  of  late  greatly  declined,  so 
that  the  honor  of  the  country  in  its  relations  with 
foreign  nations  has  been  materially  prejudiced.  It  is 
now  the  intention  of  the  Government  to  take  meas- 
ures to  revive  Japanese  learning,  and  it  is  earnestly 
desired  that  every  one,  by  diligent  study  and  by 
encouraging  sound  scholarship,  should  aid  in  this 
work." 

It  was  in  the  second  year  of  the  Emperor's  reign 
that  he  sanctioned  the  publication  of  newspapers. 
This  is  believed  to  have  been  the  first  public  recogni- 
tion of  the  modern  newspaper,  an  institution  which 
has  received  a  remarkable  development  since  that 
time  in  Japan.  The  bureau  for  their  management  was 
for  a  time  connected  with  the  Department  of  Educa- 
tion, but  subsequently  was  transferred  to  the  Depart- 
ment of  Home  Affairs.  At  the  time  of  this  first 
sanctioning  of  newspapers,  there  was  also  established 
a  bureau  for  the  compilation  and  correction  of  histori- 
cal records. 

It  is  now  about  eight  years  since  the  Government 
of  Japan  enacted  a  copyright  law,  and  although 
it  contains  not  less  than  twenty-eight  articles,  its 
leading  provisions  are  that  every  manuscript  shall 
be  examined  by  the  Librarian  of  the  Interior  Depart- 
409 


4IO  LEADING  MEN  OF  JAPAN. 

ment,  and  when  found  to  be  free  from  disloyal  opin- 
ions, or  any  matter  calculated  to  injure  the  public 
morals,  a  certificate  of  protection  is  promptly  issued. 

When  the  authors  reside  in  the  provinces,  remote 
from  the  capital,  they  are  obliged  to  make  their  appli- 
cation for  protection  through  the  local  authorities : 
the  fees  for  certificates  amount  to  the  cost  of  six 
copies  of  the  work  protected,  and  three  copies  of  the 
work  have  to  be  deposited  in  the  Interior  Department. 
This  regulation  holds  good  in  regard  to  all  the  books 
published,  whether  they  are  original,  or  translations 
from  foreign  languages  into  the  Japanese. 

Under  the  direction  of  said  Department  there  is  a 
quarterly  report  issued,  which  gives  a  description  of 
all  the  books  published,  and  from  the  last  of  these 
reports,  for  the  last  quarter  of  1879,  which  I  have 
received,  I  find  some  particulars  which  give  us  an 
interesting  idea  of  the  manner  in  which  the  Oriental 
mind  is  developing  itself  under  the  influence  of  the 
Western  nations.  During  the  quarter  alluded  to,  the 
total  number  of  books  published  was  three  hundred 
and  fifty-six,  and  the  largest  proportion  of  them  are 
on  the  subjects  of  Education,  Law,  Medicine,  and 
matters  Parliamentary,  with  numerous  dictionaries 
and  other  books  of  reference.  Among  them,  more- 
over, there  are  not  less  than  thirty-three  works  trans- 
lated from  the  English,  French  and  German  languages. 
Most  of  the  books  from  France  are  of  a  legal  charac- 
ter, those  from  Germany  chiefly  on  medicine,  while 
the  supply  from  the  United  States  and  England  seems 
to  be  of  a  conglomerate  character. 

As  straws  show  how  the  wind  blows,  so  will  the 
following  list  illustrate  the  bent  of  the  Japanese 
mind,  viz  :  Paper  Money  Liflation,  by  White  ;  Bota7ty, 
by  Gray  j    Conic  Sections ,  by  Robinson  ;    Elections  in 


ADDITIONAL    NOTES.  4II 

Ajnerica,  by  Verbeck  ;  Seaman  s  Manual,  by  Dana ; 
American  Institutions,  by  De  Toqueville ;  Lombard 
Street,  by  Bagehot ;  Gardening  for  Profit,  by  Hender- 
son ;  Civilisation,  by  Buckle  ;  Essentials  of  Chemistry, 
by  Whitehouse  ;  British  Commerce,  by  May ;  English 
Constitution,  by  Creasy;  several  books  by  Herbert 
Spencer ;  From  the  Earth  to  the  Moon,  by  Verne ; 
with  other  works  on  Marriage,  Education  of  Women, 
Science  of  Finance,  Laws  of  Banking,  Algebra,  Book- 
keeping, International  Law,  Penal  Code,  Microscope, 
Medicine,  Topography,  Anatomy,  Civil  Procedure, 
Pathology,  Sociology,  Physiology,  and  Martin's  Year 
Book.  All  these  books  are  handsomely  printed,  with 
illustrations  when  necessary,  and  while  the  paper  and 
type  may  be  purely  Japanese,  the  binding  is  quite 
frequently  in  cloth  or  paper,  after  the  American 
fashion. 

But  the  facts  connected  with  the  newspaper  press 
of  Japan  are  even  more  wonderful  than  those  of  the 
book  trade.  The  total  number  of  newspapers  and 
periodicals  is  not  less  than  two  hundred  and  fifty ;  in 
Tokio  there  are  some  ten  daily  papers  (not  including 
prices  current),  and  among  them  is  one  named  after 
its  editor,  and  others  entitled  as  translated.  Worldly 
News,  Alphabet,  Reading  and  Selling,  Daylight,  as 
well  as  a  News  a  Post,  and  an  Advertiser ;  they  also 
have  several  comic  papers,  after  the  manner  of  Punch 
and  Puck,  and  various  magazines  devoted  to  the 
advancement  of  agriculture  and  other  national  inter- 
ests. While  there  have  been  no  material  changes  in 
the  Press  Laws  of  Japan  within  the  last  few  years, 
the  Government  would  appear  to  be  much  more  leni- 
ent than  it  was  fomerly,  and  editors  may  now  speak 
their  minds  somewhat  after  the  American  fashion, 
which,  according  to  the  Constitution  and  Congress  of 


412  LEADING   MEN    OF  JAPAN. 

the  United  States,  may  be  considered  the  leading 
luxury  of  modern  civilization,  if  not  especially  digni- 
fied nor  truly  patriotic. 

With  regard  to  the  literary  events  of  1880,  the  two 
most  important  are  the  publication,  in  a  series  of 
volumes,  of  the  Laws  of  Japan,  which  resemble  in 
size  and  extent  the  Statutes  at  Large  of  the  United 
States ;  and,  secondly,  the  publication,  in  handsome 
style,  of  the  New  Testament  in  the  Japanese  language. 

As  an  appropriate  sequel  to  the  foregoing,  perhaps 
the  following  bit  of  Japanese  Bibliography  may  inter- 
est the  book-worm  reader.  When  the  Arctic  discov- 
erer, A.  E.  Nordenskiold,  was  in  Japan,  in  1879,  ^^ 
made  a  collection  of  books,  written  in  the  language  of 
that  country,  which  consisted  of  1036  different  works, 
but  nearly  six  thousand  volumes,  and  the  subjects 
were  as  follows  :  History  176,  Buddhism  and  Educa- 
tion 161,  Shintoism  38,  Christianity  i,  Manners  and 
Customs  33,  Drama  13,  Laws  5,  Politics  24,  Poetry 
and  Fiction  137,  Heraldry,  Antiquities  and  Ceremo- 
nies 27,  War,  etc.  41,  Chess  i.  Coining  4,  Dictionaries 
and  Grammars  18,  Geography  j6,  Natural  History  68, 
Medicine  13,  Arithmetic,  Astronomy  and  Astrology 
39,  Agriculture  and  Handicrafts  43,  Note  Books  73, 
Horticulture  16,  Bibliography  9,  and  Miscellaneous 
20.     Total  1036. 


ADDENDA. 


FOREIGN  BIBLIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  EMPIRE. 

Accountof  Japan  in  1631-38.  ByF.  Caron.  In  Pinkerton's  Voyages. 

Across  America  and  Asia.  Notes  of  Five  Years'  Journey  around  the 
World,  etc     By  Raphael  Pumpelly.     New  York,  187 1. 

Ambassades  de  la  Compagnie,  etc.  vers  le  Japon.  2  vols.  Paris, 
1722. 

Ambassades  Mdmorables  de  la  Compagnie  des  Indes  Orientales  des 
Provinces  —  unies  Verrs  les  Empereurs  de  Japon.  Foleo.  Amster- 
dam, 1680. 

Agriculture  and  Husbandry  of  the  Japanese  Islands  (The).  By 
Quanno  Keigokee.  Tokio,  1879.  Translated  into  English  by  William 
H.  Doyle. 

Caron  F.  Beschrijvinge  van  het  Machtiyh  Koninckrjke  Japan. 
Amsterdam,  1649. 

Castle  of  Yedo  (The).  By  Thomas  R.  H.  McClatchie.  Tokio, 
1877.     Pamphlet. 

China  and  Japan.  A  complete  Guide  to  the  open  Ports  of  those 
Countries,  together  with  Pekin,  Yedo,  Hong  Kong  and  Macao,  etc. 
etc  By  W.  F.  Mayers,  N.  B.  Dennys,  and  Charles  King.  London,  1876. 

China  and  Japan ;  and  a  Voyage  thither.  By  James  B.  Lawrence. 
Hartford,  1870. 

China  and  Japan.  A  Record  of  Observations,  etc.  By  I.  W.  Wiley. 
New  York,  1878. 

China  and  Japan.  2  vols.,  large  folio  calf,  with  Maps,  and  several 
full  page  and  large  folding  Plates,  Views,  Cuts,  etc.,  etc.,  illustrating 
the  Cities,  Temples,  Religions,  Laws,  Wealth,  Habits,  Plants,  Beasts, 
Rivers,  etc,  etc,  of  those  Countries.    By  John  Ogleby.    London,  1670. 

Chronicas  de  los  Rcl  Descalzos  de  S.  Francisco  en  las  Isles  Phili- 
penas,  etc    In  three  volumes,  the  last  devoted  to  Japan.    Minila,  1738. 

Claims  of  Japan  and  Mala3rsia.  By  C.  W.  King  and  J.  T.  Lay.  2 
vols.    New  York,  1839. 

Cloisonntf  Enamels  of  Japan  (The).  By  George  Ashdown  Audsley. 
Liverpool  and  Paris,  1880. 

Coal  Fields  of  Kiushiu,  Japan  (The).  Paper  read  before  the  "In- 
stitut  de  France.'*    By  Prof.  F.  Fouquc.  'Paris,  1882. 

41S 


4l6  LEADING   MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

Colloquial  Japanese,  etc-     By  S.  R.  Brown.     Shanghai,  1863. 
.    Comwallis  K.    Two  Journeys  to  Japan.     London,  1859. 

Description  of  Formosa,  etc.    By  G.  Psalmanaazaar.    London,  1704. 

Descriptio  Regni  Japoni  Auctore  Bernardo  Varenio.  Tome  IL 
Amstelodami,  1649.     Same  et  Siam.     Cantabrigiae,  1673. 

Diary  on  the  Coast  of  Japan  in  1673.  ^y  John  Pinkerton.  London, 
1808-14. 

Dutch  in  Japan.  By  K.  Matsukuri.  Proceedings  Asiatic  Society 
of  Tokio,  1880. 

Education  in  Japan.  A  Series  of  Letters  addressed  by  prominent 
Americans  to  Arinori  Mori.     New  York,  1873. 

English  and  Japanese  Dictionary  (An).    Tokio,  1872. 

English-Japanese  Dictionary  of  Spoken  Language  (An).  By  Earnest 
Mason  Satow.    London,  1876. 

Empire  of  Japan  (The).  Brief  Sketch  of  the  Geography,  History 
and  Constitution.  Philadelphia,  1876.  By  Imperial  Commission  for 
the  Philadelphia  International  Exhibition. 

Ethnologische  Studien  iiber  die  Aino  auf  der  Insel  Yesso.  Von 
Heinrich  Von  Siebold,  Legations  Seortar  bei  der  K.  and  K.  Mission 
in  Japan.     Berlin,  1881. 

Faociculus  e  Japonicis  Floribus  suo  adhuc  Madentibus.  Sanguine 
Compositus  A.  F.  Cardim.     Roma,  1646. 

Fauna  Japonica  Crustacea  elaborante.  W.  de  Haan.  P.  F.  Von 
Siebold,  1850. 

Fidelle  et  Notable.  Recit  de  la  Conversion  du  Roy  Ydata  Maca- 
mune  de  Boin  a  Jappon;  traduit  des  Copies  imprimees  en  EspagnoL 
Tolose,  1 618. 

Financial  Condition  of  Japan  (The.)  By  Herr  Liebscher.  Leipsic 
and  London,  1882. 

Flora  Japonica  and  Icones  Plantarum  Japonicarum.  By  Carl  Peter 
Thunberg.     Stockholm,  1784-1805. 

Forbidden  Land  (A).     By  Ernest  Oppert.     London,  1880. 

Fraissinet  E.     L'Expedition  Americaine  au  Japan.     Paris,  1855. 

Fortune  R.     Yedo  and  Peking,  etc.     London,  1863. 

Fugaku  Hiyaku;  or  a  Hundred  Views  of  Fuji  (Fusiyama).  By 
Hokusai.     Descriptions  translated  by  F.  V.  Dickins.     London,  1881. 

Geographical  and  Ethnographical  Elucidations  to  the  Discoveries  of 
Maerten  Gerrits  Vries  1643.  I"  t^^  East  and  North  of  Japan ;  to  serve 
as  a  Mariner's  Guide  in  the  Navigation  of  the  east  Coast  of  Japan  to 
Jezo,  Krafto  and  the  Kurils.  From  the  Dutch  by  F.  M.  Cowan. 
Amsterdam,  1S59. 


FOREIGN    BIBLIOGRAPHY    OF   THE   EMPIRE.       417 

Glimpse  at  the  Art  of  Japan  (A).  By  Jarvis.  London  and  New 
York.     18S0. 

Grammar  of  the  Japanese  Written  Language  (A).  By  W.  G.  Aston. 
Tokio  and  London,  1877. 

Grandmamma's  Letters  from  Japan.  By  Mrs.  Mary  Pruyn.  Boston, 
1877. 

Greater  Britain.  A  Record  of  Travel  in  English-Speaking  Coun- 
tries during  1866-67.     By  Charles  W.  Dilke.     London,  1868. 

Halloran  A.  L.    Visit  to  Japan.     London,  1856. 

Hand-Book  of  Northern  and  Central  Japan.  By  Satow  and  Hawes. 
Yokohama,  1881. 

Histoire  et  Description  g^n^rale  du  Japon.  By  P.  F.  X.  Charlevoix. 
9  vols.     Paris,  1785. 

Histoire  du  Christianisme  au  Japan.  By  P.  F.  X.  Charlevoix.  2 
vols.    Paris,  1828. 

Historical  Notes  on  Nagasaki.  By  W.  A.  WooUey.  Yokohama, 
1881. 

History  of  Japan.  Account  of  its  Ancient  and  Present  State  of 
Government,  etc  2  vols.  Written  in  High  Dutch  and  translated  by 
J.  G.  Scheuchzer.  London,  1728.  Same  to  be  found  in  Pinkerton's 
Voyages. 

History  of  Japan  from  the  earliest  Period  to  the  present  Time.  By 
F.  O.  H.  Ad^ns.    London,  1871. 

lancigny  A.  P.  D.    Histoire  et  Description  du  Japon.     Paris,  i8sa 

Illustrations  of  Japan,  consisting  of  private  Memoirs  and  Anecdotes 
of  the  reigning  Dynasty  of  the  Djoyounsor  Sovereign  of  Japan.  By 
M.  Titsingh.  Translated  from  the  French  by  F.  Shoberl.  London, 
1822. 

Introduction  of  Christianity  into  China  and  Japan.  By  John  H. 
Gubbins.    Tokio,  1877.     Pamphlet 

Introduction  of  Tobacco  into  Japan  (The).  By  Ernest  M.  Satow. 
Tokio,  1877.     Pamphlet. 

Invasion  of  Corca.  By  W.  J.  Aston.  Proceedings  Asiatic  Society 
of  Tokio.    1879. 

Japan.    By  Bayard  Taylor.    New  York,  1872. 

Japan.    By  C.  MacFarlan.    London,  1852. 

Japan  and  around  the  Worid.  By  J.  W.  Spalding.  New  York, 
I855- 

Japanese  and  English  Dictionary.  By  J.  C.  Hepburn.  Shanghai, 
1876. 

Japan  and  Her  People.     By  A.  Steinmetz.     I/indon,  1849. 


41 8  LEADING   MEN   OF  JAPAN. 

Japan  and  the  Japanese.  Illustrated.  By  Aime  Humbert.  Trans- 
lated by  Mrs.  Cashel  Hoey.    London,  1874. 

Japan  and  the  Japanese,  etc.  2  vols.  By  Captain  Golowinin,  of 
the  Russian  Navy.    London,  1853. 

Japan  as  It  was  and  is.     By  Richard  Hildreth.      New  York,  1855. 

Japan.    Encyclopasdia  Britannica.    Edinburgh.     1881. 

Japanese  Episodes.    By  E.  H.  House.    Boston,  1881. 

Japan  Expedition ;  a  Voyage  around  the  World.  By  J.  W.  Spalding. 
New  York,  i?59. 

Japan,  Historical  and  Descriptive.    By  Charles  H.  Eden.    London, 

1877. 

Japan :  Its  History,  Traditions,  and  Religions,  etc.  2  vols.  By 
Sir  Edward  J.  Reed.    London,  1880. 

Japan  nach  Reisen  und  Studien.    Von  I.  I.  Rein.    Leipzig,  1881. 

Japanese  Expedition  to  Formosa  (The).  By  Edward  H.  House. 
Tokio,  1875. 

Japanese  Government  and  People.  By  M.  Louis  Bazangeou.  Paris, 
1881. 

Japanese  in  America  (The).  By  Charles  Lanman.  New  York  and 
London,  1872. 

Japanese  Islands.    By  M.  Malte-Brun.    Edinburgh,  1822. 

Japanese  Marks  and  Seals.    By  James  L.  Bowes.    London,  188 1. 

Kaempfer's  History  of  Japan ;  translated  from  the  Dutch  by  Scheu- 
chzer,  with  Journal  of  a  Voyage  made  to  Japan  by  the  English  in 
1673,  and  Appendix,  numerous  curious  engravings  and  maps.  2  vols, 
in  one,  1727. 

Kagoshima.    By  E.  H.  House.    Tokio,  1875. 

Kak'  Ke.    By  William  Anderson.    Tokio,  1878.     Pamphlet 

Keramic  Art  of  Japan.     By  Audsley.     London,  188 1. 

Keramic  Art  of  Japan.  By  G.  A.  Audsley  and  J.  L.  Bowes.  Liver- 
pool, 1879. 

Kioto.  By  W.  Gifford  Palgrave.  London  (Fortnightly  Review),  1881. 

Lacquer  Industry  of  Japan  (The).  By  John  J.  Quinn.  Pamphlet. 
Tokio,  1880. 

Land  of  the  Morning  (The).  By  William  Gray  Dixon,  M.  A. 
Edinburgh,  1882. 

La  Relion  des  Japonais.    Par  Leon  de  Rosny.    Paris,  1881. 

Labor  in  Japan.     By  T.  B.  Van  Buren.     Washington,  1881. 

Labor  in  Japan.  [Official  Report.]  By  Thomas  B.  Van  Buren. 
Washington,  1880. 


FOREIGN    BIBLIOGRAPHY    OF    THE    EMPIRE.        419 

Leading  Men  of  Japan ;  with  an  Historical  Summary  of  the  Empire. 
By  Charles  Lanman.     Boston,  1882. 

Le  Gendre.    Progressive  Japan,  etc.    New  York,  1879. 

Le  Japon  de  nos  jours  et  les  echelles  de  l'extr6me  Orient.  Par 
Georges  Bousquet.     Paris,  1877. 

LTEmpire  Japonais,  Pays,  Peuple,  Histoire.  Par  Leon  Metchnikoff. 
Geneve,  1881. 

Leon  de  Rosny.  La  Civilization  Japonaise,  and  other  works.  Paris, 
i86a 

LieboM  Philip  Franz.  Fauna  Japonica,  Replilia  elaborantibus.  C. 
J.  Tcmminck  et  H.  Schlegel,  1838. 

Liihdorf.     Acht  Montate  in  Japan,  etc.,  etc.     Bremen,  i860. 

Lord  Elgin's  Mission  to  China  and  Japan.  By  L.  Oliphant.  Lon- 
don, 1859. 

Loyal  Ronins  (The).  By  Tamenaga  Shunsui.  Translated  by  S. 
Saito  and  E.  Greey.     New  York,  1880. 

Manley  R.     English  version  of  Caron.    London,  1663. 

Manners  and  Customs  of  the  Japanese  in  the  Nineteenth  Century. 
New  York,  1842. 

Manners  and  Customs  of  the  Japanese  in  the  Nineteenth  Century. 
From  Recent  Dutch  Travels  of  Von  Liebold  and  others.  London, 
1841  and  1852,  and  New  York,  1841. 

Meeting  of  the  Sun :  A  Journey  all  around  the  World,  etc.  By 
William  Simpson.     London,  1874. 

Memorials  of  the  Empire  of  Japan  in  the  Sixteenth  and  Seventeenth 
Centuries.     By  Randall.     London,  1850. 

Metchnikoff.    L'Empire  Japonais.    Geneva,  1878. 

Meylan  G.  F.    Japan  Voorgesteld  in  Schetsen.     Amsterdam,  1830. 

Mikado's  Empire  (The).     By  William  E.  Griffis.    New  York,  1877. 

Montanus  A.  Denckwiirdige  gesand  tschafften  der  ost  indischen 
gesellschaft  in  den  Vereinizten.  Niederlanden  an  unterschi  edliche 
Kcyser  Von  Japan     Amsterdam,  1669. 

Narrative  of  the  Expedition  of  an  American  Squadron  to  the  Chi- 
nese Seas  and  Japan,  etc.  By  Commodore  M.  C.  Perry,  U.  S.  N. 
Edited  by  Francis  L.  Hawks.  3  vols.  Washington,  1856.  Abridge- 
ment of  the  same,  New  York,  1856. 

New  Japan.    By  Samuel  Mossman.    London,  1873. 

Notes  and  Sketches  from  the  Wild  Coast  of  Nipon.  By  Captain 
H.  C.  St.  John     Edinburgh,  1880. 

Notes  on  Loo-Choo.  By  E.  Satow.  Proceedings  Asiatic  Society 
ofTokio,  1879. 


420  LEADING    MEN    OF   JAPAN. 

Notes  on  some  of  the  Volcanic  Mountains  of  Japan.  By  D.  H. 
Marshall.    Tokio  1878.     Pamphlet. 

Notes  on  the  Early  History  of  Printing  in  Japan.  By  Ernest  Satow. 
Yokohama,  1881. 

On  the  History  of  Japanese  Keramics.  By  F.  Brinkley.  Japan 
Mail,  i88i. 

Our  Life  in  Japan.     By  E.  P.  Elmhirst.    London,  1869. 

Outline  History  of  Japanese  Education  (An).  Prepared  for  the  Phil- 
adelphia International  Exhibition.  New  York,  1876.  By  the  Japanese 
Department  of  Education.     (Tanaka  Fujimaro.) 

Palmer,  A.  H.  Documents  and  Facts,  etc.,  about  Japan.  Washing- 
ton, 1857. 

Paupe  Van  Meerdewoort.  Vijf  jaren  in  Japan,  1857-63.  Leyden, 
1867. 

Progressive  Japan,  a  Study  qf  the  Political  and  Social  Needs  of  the 
Empire.   By  General  Le  Gendre.     Yokohama  and  New  York,  1878. 

Prussian  Navara  Expedition.     Official  Report.     Berlin,  1864. 

Reise  um.  die  Welt.  3  vols.  By  Von  Adam  Johann  Krusenstern.  1812. 

Rundall  T.     Memorials  of  the  Empire  of  Japan.     London,  1850. 

Russian  Descents  in  Sazhalin  and  Itorup  in  1806-7.  By  W.  J. 
Aston.     Proceedings  Asiatic  Society  of  Tokio. 

Satsuma  Rebellion  (The).  An  Episode  in  Modern  Japanese  History. 
By  Augustus  H.  Mounsey.     London,  1879. 

Smith  G.     Ten  Weeks  in  Japan.     London,  1861. 

Steinmetz  A.     Japan  and  her  People.     London,  1859. 

Summary  of  the  Japanese  Penal  Code  (A).  By  Joseph  H.  Long- 
ford.    From  Proceedings  of  the  Asiatic  Society  of  Tokio.     1873. 

Tales  from  Old  Japan.     By  A.  B.  Mitford.     London,  187 1. 

Thunberg.     Voy.  au  Japon.     Paris,  1795. 

Titsingh.     Memoires,  etc.     Paris,  1820. 

Titsingh  I.  Illustrations  of  Japan  from  the  French  of  F.  Shoberl. 
London,  1859. 

Tomes  R.     The  Americans  in  Japan,  etc.     New  York,  1857. 

Travels  around  the  World,  etc.  By  William  H.  Seward.  New  York, 
1873- 

Tronson  J.  M.  Personal  Narrative  of  a  Voyage  to  Japan.  London, 
1859. 

Telley  H.  A.    Japan,  etc.     London,  1861. 

Unbeaten  Track  in  Japan.  2  vols.  By  Isabella  L.  Bird.  London, 
1880. 


FOREIGN    BIBLIOGRAPHY    OF    THE    EMPIRE.        42 1 

Varenius  or  Varen  B.  Descriptio  regni  Japaniae  et  Siam  Canta- 
brigiae,  1673. 

Voyages  dans  le  nord  du  Japon  par  W  ...  .     Yokohama,  1880. 

Voyage  au  Japon,  execute  pendant  les  annees  1823-1830 ;  DescripH 
tion  de  lezo,  des  iles  Kuriles  m^ridionales,  de  Krafto,  de  le  Cor^e  des 
ilcs  Liu  Kiu,  etc    By  von  Philipp  Franz  Siebold.     Paris,  1830. 

Voyage  of  La  Perouse  round  the  World  in  1785-86-87-88,  etc 
(The).    2  vols.    By  M.  L.  A.  Milet  Mureau.     London,  1798. 

Voyage  of  the  Vega  round  Asia  and  Europe  (The).  By  A.  E. 
Nordenskiold.  Translated  by  Alexander  Leslie.  London.  2  vols. 
1S81.     [Contains  Information  about  Japan.] 

Voyage  to  Corea  and  Loo-Choo.     By  B.  Hall.      Philadelphia,  1818. 

Whittingham  B.    Notes  of  a  Visit  to  Japan.    London,  1856. 

Young  Japan,  Yokohama  and  Yedo,  etc.  2  vols  By  John  R. 
Black.    London,  1881. 

Zwei  Reisen  nach  dem  Westen  Japans  in  den  Jahren  1369  and  1389. 

By  Von  Dr.  August  Pfizmaler.    Wien  1881. 


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